Take the Plunge!
Tips to designing a new swimming pool
By Jeff Fanara of Bella Pools
A swimming pool is a wonderful addition to your home. It provides refreshing fun for your family and friends, and swimming is a great way to stay in shape. Nothing beats spending a relaxing summer day your own backyard swimming pool. Putting in a pool is a big decision, but if you do it the right way, your pool will bring you years of enjoyment. So, before you start digging the hole, take some time to consider the best way to make the pool beautiful, convenient, and of course, safe.
The location, shape and design of the pool are the biggest decisions you will need to make. What will fit best in your yard? What is the primary purpose of the pool, now and in the future? Where should the pool be located in reference to the house? The answers to these questions will begin help you plan. Meet with your pool contractor and landscape designer in the early stages to make sure you have a well thought out plan that will add value and beauty to your home and yard.
A landscape designer knows that privacy; safety, beauty and convenience all must be brought into 
consideration when planning your pool area. Landscaping will help Cape Cod swimming pools blend more naturally with your yard, and can provide coverage of the pool equipment. Your pool area probably gets a lot of sunshine, so make sure the plants you select can handle direct sunlight. If you don’t have a lot of time for maintenance, select plants and trees that won’t need a lot of upkeep and don’t create a mess. You don’t want a tree that is going to be dropping leaves into the pool all summer long! Also, think twice before planting flowers and fruit trees, which are very pretty, but can also attract a lot of bees. Tall plants can be used to create a more private setting around the pool, and help camouflage some of the fencing.
When selecting the patio around the pool, the first consideration must be safety. The surface needs to be slip-resistant, and you also want to be sure that the surface is not going to get too hot. There are many options for you to consider today that blend nicely with the outdoor environment, and compliment the entire pool area. The material you ultimately choose should be based on a variety of factors including space availability, your surrounding landscape, how much traffic the pool deck will receive, your budget, and the amount of time and effort you want to devote to care and upkeep.
Plan ahead, and take the time to develop a well thought out landscape design for your yard and pool area. Your yard will be transformed into a beautiful piece of paradise on Cape Cod that you and your family will enjoy and be comfortable in for many years.
