Poolscaping Gardening & Landscaping Around Your Swimming Pool & Spa PDF Book Download *FREE

Bare, stark swimming pools – those rectangular concrete holes in the ground surrounded by a chain-link fence – are going the way of the dinosaurs. Pool owners (and there are 7 million of them across North America) have begun to see the pool and the area around it as an outdoor living space, a place for entertaining a crowd or relaxing alone. In response to this hot, new trend, gardener and landscape designer Catriona Tudor Erler has written POOLSCAPING, a one-of-a-kind handbook overflowing with inspiring ideas and practical advice on how to make your swimming pool the lovely, welcoming centerpiece of your property.

Erler takes readers step by step through the poolscaping process, whether starting from scratch or renovating an existing pool. She begins with choosing the best location for the pool and designing (or refurbishing) the deck and edging that will surround it. She presents a host of ideas for dramatic pool lighting, including underwater options. The fencing chapter addresses choosing styles as well as safety issues and even how to disguise a fence with plantings.

Erler explores design options for building or renovating a spa adjacent to the pool, as well as how to incorporate furnishings, pergolas, and pool houses into the poolscape. A plant directory features the best poolside plants, with a focus on varieties of flowers, vines, and shrubs that are low maintenance and look attractive throughout the pool season. Erler also offers ideas for outstanding poolside planters and containers for bringing greenery and color right up to the pool.

Illustrated with beautiful full-color photographs of outstanding poolscapes, this unique guide demonstrates how any pool owner can transform the pool area into the showpiece of the neighborhood.

“Diving into Catriona Tudor Erler’s book on dressing up your pool is cool.”

—Arizona Republic

 

“A swimming pool can be more than a big blue hole … Poolscaping helps readers turn it into a retreat.”

— Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

” … a wealth of ideas on how to make the swimming pool a backyard showpiece.”

— Phoenix Home & Garden

 

“… encourages an appealing integration of water and land.”

— Publishers Weekly

 

“Excellent photographs give the book a can’t-put-it-down quality.”

— Washington Post

 

“… rich with photos for inspiration, but there are plenty of specifics, such as plant recommendations, how-to instructions and tips for dealing with challenges.”

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

“[T]his book will inspire you to create a design that meets your needs for both practicality and beauty.” — The American Gardener

 

“From the latest trends to advice on plantings, waterfalls and fountains, Poolscaping will help add some splash to your summer.”

— Maryland Washington Virginia Home & Design 

Transform your pool into a welcoming and appealing focal point of your home’s outdoor living space. Catriona Tudor Erler shows you how to incorporate lighting, tile, edging, and fountains as she takes you step-by-step through the poolscaping process and encourages you to design the water space of your dreams. Add a natural touch with stunning poolside plants that are low-maintenance and won’t drop leaves, so you can skip the mess and bring lively color right up to the water’s edge.

Poolscaping is a one-of-a-kind handbook overflowing with inspiring ideas and practical advice on how to make your swimming pool the lovely, welcoming centerpiece of your property, whether you are installing a new pool or renovating an existing one. You’ll learn how to choose the best spot for the pool and how to design or refurbish the deck and edging that surround it. And you’ll find great ideas for dramatic pool lighting (including underwater options); safe and attractive fencing; and spas, furniture, pergolas, and pool houses. Finally, Poolscaping helps you choose the best poolside plants for your landscaping, with a focus on flowers, vines, and shrubs that are low-maintenance and attractive throughout the swimming season.

An internationally recognized garden writer, photographer, and speaker, Catriona Tudor Erler is the author of eight garden books and numerous articles that have appeared in such publications as Architectural Digest and Southern Accents. She gardens with her husband and twin sons at their home in Vienna, Virginia.