When i was growing up, any time a neighbor got a swimming pool, they got rid of the grass. It wasn’t necessarily because their backyards were too small: it was simply the mindset back then. Pool or grass–never both.

But there is room in your backyard landscaping for both and there are advantages to having grass near your swimming pool.

Backyard Landscaping: Creating Your Resort Look

Think about the last resort you visited. Likely there were patches of lush, green grass around the swimming pool areas–even in desert conditions. Not only does it break up the concrete jungle patio, it cools the area. Lawns can be 30 degrees cooler than asphalt on a hot day. Granted, concrete is not as hot as asphalt, but you get the point. The U.S. Green Building council who administers the LEED building rating system, gives points for placing grass on rooftops. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

Chlorine and Grass and Runoff

A great thing about grass is that it captures runoff and brings it back into the soil. Concrete causes runoff and can add pollutants to our storm drains. Turf grass is a natural filter for water. Believe it or not, chlorine in your pool water is actually not known to kill your grass. The grass is selective about what it drinks. Who knew?

Today’s backyard swimming pools often have a salt water system instead of the traditional chlorine. Not only is the salt water not harmful to your law; it is actually good for your grass. The water that is naturally splashed from your pool onto your lawn is a great way to conserve water. Just don’t flood your lawn with pool water, of course.

So consider combining grass and concrete. It can add so much to the look and the efficiency of your backyard landscaping.