Portfolio: Softening a pool fence
A taller perennial border obscures the pool fence and the curve of the bed draws the eye past the fence to the horizon.
This pool fence distracted from a wonderful view and created an awkward and unusable strip of narrow lawn. By replacing the lawn with a perennial planting with a shape and layout independent of the fence line we visually softened the fence, drawing the eye past it rather than obscuring it with a heavy screen. Long narrow plantings can be tricky. With so much edge, plants that are prone to flopping over can quickly create a mess. We balanced this by leaning on more reliably stout perennials, and crafted a layout that concentrated our flimsier perennials down the spine.
To illustrate how plantings change over time images are presented by growing season in reverse-chronological order.
First growing season
By carrying the planting zones across the fence, visible here in clumps of false sunflower and mountain mint, the plants draw the eye away from the fence without creating a heavy screen.
In areas with slower-growing perennials such as little bluestem and pale purple coneflower bare ground is still visible in the second growing season. Once these plants fill in this area will be heavily covered with plants.
With faster-growing bee balm, mountain mint, cardinal flower, and false sunflower in bloom this planting is already attracting pollinating insects and hummingbirds in its second growing season.
Post-installation
Fence and existing hydrangeas after installation.
When planted in late summer or fall perennial plugs spend the remainder of their first growing season establishing roots, with minimal above-ground growth.
Pre-installation site conditions
Graphic diagram showing new planting area and zones.
Pool fence before new plantings.
Fence and existing hydrangeas during installation prep.