16+ Chic Pool Landscaping Ideas for Aussie Backyards

7/12/2025By Gardener IdeaOutdoor Living

Ready to turn your backyard into a private retreat? These pool landscaping ideas will help you get there.

Use Natural Stone or Pavers

Natural stone and pavers bring an earthy, textured look to a pool deck while giving swimmers a firmer, less slippery footing. Sandstone and travertine are popular choices in Australian backyards because they stay cooler underfoot during summer.

These products might be useful:

Natural Slate Paver Kits: Transform your pool area with natural slate for an elegant, slip-resistant surface.
Outdoor Stone Sealer: Protect and enhance stone surfaces with a durable, water-resistant sealer for long-lasting beauty.
Non-Slip Pool Deck Coating: Ensure safety and style with extra grip and protection for your poolside pavers.

Ways to Boost Backyard Privacy

Tall hedges, timber screens, or bamboo panels block sightlines from neighbors and turn a pool area into a quiet retreat. Lilly pilly and other dense native hedging are common picks because they grow thick and need little upkeep.

Some ideas to consider:

Outdoor Privacy Hedge Panels: Create your secluded retreat with easy-to-install outdoor privacy hedge panels.
Garden Screening Trellis: Enhance your poolside privacy with stylish and versatile garden trellis screens.
Artificial Boxwood Panels: Enjoy lush, maintenance-free greenery with artificial boxwood panels for ultimate seclusion.

Choose Glass Pool Fencing

Frameless glass fencing keeps the pool area safe without blocking your view of the water. Its clean, modern lines suit contemporary homes and let the pool remain the visual focus of the yard.

You might give these a try:

Glass Pool Fence Panels: Enhance safety and style with sleek glass pool fence panels; enjoy modern aesthetics and views.
Stainless Steel Glass Fence Spigots: Secure your glass pool fencing with durable stainless steel spigots for optimal stability and elegance.
Glass Pool Gate Kit: Create a safe entry with a glass pool gate kit; combines safety with unobstructive design.

Bring in Shade with Pergolas and Umbrellas

A pergola or a large cantilever umbrella gives swimmers a break from harsh sun while adding structure to the layout. Timber pergolas can also support climbing vines like wisteria for extra shade over time.

Useful items to consider:

Outdoor Pergola Kit: Enhance your pool area with a stylish pergola, providing shade and modern elegance.
Large Patio Umbrella: Stay cool under a large patio umbrella, perfect for those sunny Australian days by the pool.
Retractable Awning: Add comfort with an adjustable retractable awning, offering flexible shade when needed.

Design Built-In Seating Nooks

Built-in benches or a cluster of lounge chairs give a pool deck a natural gathering spot. A shaded corner with cushioned seating works well for reading or watching kids swim without leaving the poolside.

Check these products out:

Outdoor Lounge Chairs: Relax by the pool with stylish lounge chairs, perfect for sunbathing or reading a book.
Weatherproof Cushions: Enhance comfort and style by adding weatherproof cushions to your outdoor seating arrangement.
Patio Umbrella: Provide shade and comfort with a patio umbrella, ideal for sunny poolside afternoons.

Set the Mood with Outdoor Lighting

Solar path lights and LED strips along walkways make evening swims safer and more inviting. Uplighting a feature tree or water wall adds depth to the space after dark and stretches the pool’s usable hours into the night.

Explore these options:

Solar-Powered String Lights: Enhance your poolside with ambient solar string lights, creating a warm, inviting evening glow.
LED Pool Lights: Transform your pool into a night-time oasis with vibrant, energy-efficient LED lights.
Landscape Spotlights: Accentuate garden features and trees with adjustable landscape spotlights for a dramatic effect.

Bring Paradise Home with Tropical Plants

Palms, ferns, and broad-leafed cordylines give a poolside garden that lush, resort feel. These plants thrive in warm, humid climates and handle pool splash zones better than many delicate flowering species.

A few choices to try:

Artificial Palm Plants: Enhance your poolside with maintenance-free artificial palm plants for a lasting tropical vibe.
Tropical Fern Seeds: Grow your own lush retreat by planting tropical fern seeds around your pool area.
Outdoor Garden Lighting: Illuminate your tropical poolscape with stylish outdoor lighting for a serene evening ambiance.

Include a Water Feature

A stone waterfall or bubbling spillway adds a resort-style touch and masks street noise with the sound of moving water. Small water features can also be run on a timer to save on pump energy costs.

Possibly helpful picks:

Waterfall Spillway Kit: Enhance your pool’s elegance with a spillway kit, adding soothing sounds and visual charm.
Submersible Pool Fountain: Transform your pool with a submersible fountain, perfect for relaxation and a luxury touch.
Solar Pool Waterfall Pump: Install a solar pump for an eco-friendly way to enjoy tranquil water sounds by the pool.

Style Your Poolside with Chic Decor

Outdoor cushions, woven rugs, and sculptural planters give a pool deck real personality. Pick weather-resistant fabrics and finishes so the decor holds up through Australian summers and coastal humidity.

Products that could assist:

Outdoor Chaise Lounge Chairs: Elevate relaxation with elegant chaise lounges; perfect for sunbathing and poolside comfort.
Weatherproof Outdoor Dining Set: Enhance your poolside meals with a stylish and durable outdoor dining set.
Decorative Outdoor Planters: Add vibrant greenery and style to your poolside with elegant decorative planters.

Blend Indoor and Outdoor Living

Matching flooring or wall cladding between your living room and pool deck makes the two areas feel like one continuous space. Large sliding or stacking doors strengthen that connection and let sightlines flow straight through to the water.

Possibly handy products:

Outdoor Rug: Unify spaces with an outdoor rug that complements your indoor style. Enhance comfort and cohesion.
Sliding Glass Door Treatments: Install stylish door treatments to enhance privacy while maintaining your indoor-outdoor flow.
Weather-Resistant Outdoor Furniture: Choose furniture that mirrors your indoor design for a fluid extension of living space outdoors.

Try a Minimalist Pool Design

A minimalist pool area relies on sleek decking, a restrained color palette, and open, uncluttered space. Concrete pavers or timber-look composite decking both suit this style and keep maintenance low.

These products might help:

Outdoor Teak Lounge Chairs: Elevate your poolside relaxation with sleek, weather-resistant teak lounge chairs. Add minimalist elegance today.
Weatherproof Outdoor Decking Tiles: Transform your pool area with clean, sleek decking tiles. Easy to install, perfect for minimalists.
Simple Garden Border Edging: Define clean lines around your pool with easy-to-install, minimalist garden edging. Enhance simplicity now.

Design a Mediterranean-Style Pool

Hand-laid mosaic tiles, terracotta pots, and gnarled olive trees give a pool area classic Mediterranean character. This style pairs naturally with whitewashed walls and wrought-iron accents for a look that has stayed popular for decades.

A few things you might like:

Mosaic Pool Tiles: Enhance your pool with vibrant mosaic tiles for a timeless Mediterranean aesthetic.
Potted Olive Trees: Add lush olive trees for a touch of Mediterranean greenery around your pool area.
Terracotta Planters: Use terracotta planters to accentuate your Mediterranean garden with classic elegance.

Pick the Right Decking Style

Timber decking brings warmth and a natural grain, while composite boards resist rot and need far less maintenance over the years. Either option can frame the pool edge and create a comfortable spot to walk barefoot.

Consider these options:

Wooden Deck Tiles: Revitalize your poolside with easy-to-install wooden deck tiles for a natural, warm finish.
Composite Deck Boards: Upgrade to durable, low-maintenance composite deck boards for a sleek, modern poolside look.
Outdoor Lounge Chairs: Enhance relaxation with stylish, comfortable outdoor lounge chairs perfect for your pool deck.

Add a Poolside Outdoor Shower

An outdoor shower lets swimmers rinse off chlorine or salt before heading inside, cutting down on tracked water and sand. It also adds a resort-style detail that makes the whole pool area feel more finished.

Try these:

Outdoor Solar Shower: Enjoy a warm rinse under the sun with this eco-friendly outdoor solar shower.
Teak Shower Mat: Step onto luxury with a durable and stylish teak shower mat for your pool area.
Stainless Steel Outdoor Shower Head: Upgrade your poolside with a sleek stainless steel shower head for a refreshing experience.

Build a Fire Pit for Poolside Nights

A fire pit near the pool stretches outdoor time into cooler evenings and gives friends and family a natural spot to gather. Pair it with built-in bench seating so guests can move easily between the fire and the water.

Try a Circular Pool Shape

A circular pool breaks from the standard rectangle and can make a small backyard feel more open. This shape also works well as a central focal point when paved paths or garden beds radiate outward from it.

Some handy options:

Outdoor Solar Pool Lights: Illuminate your circular pool with eco-friendly solar lights for an enchanting evening ambiance.
Weather-Resistant Poolside Loungers: Enhance poolside relaxation with comfortable, weather-resistant loungers perfect for any circular pool setting.
Stylish Pool Umbrellas: Add shade and style to your pool area with adjustable, durable umbrellas for ultimate sun protection.