With Queensland approaching drought season, it’s a great time to consider water-wise landscaping options for your pool area. For those installing or updating a pool, choosing drought-proof plants can create a lush, luxurious look without adding to water use or maintenance time.
From elegant palms and stunning florals to hardy grasses and vines, the right plant choices can turn any poolside into an inviting, sustainable oasis. These plants thrive in sunny, dry conditions and offer colour, texture, and cooling shade. Let’s dive into the best drought-tolerant options that will elevate your pool area while conserving water and keeping maintenance simple.
1. Iconic Palms: Tropical Elegance
Palms are quintessentially tropical, instantly adding a resort-like vibe to poolside settings. With their tall, slender trunks and large, fan-shaped or feather-like leaves, palms like the Royal Palm and Mediterranean Fan Palm bring both height and elegance. They’re ideal for creating shaded spots around the pool, enhancing relaxation and comfort.
One of the biggest benefits of palms is their drought tolerance—they require minimal water once established and thrive in full sun. Palms also feature non-invasive root systems, making them safe for planting close to hardscapes and pool structures without risk of damage. For a lush, water-wise landscape that exudes tropical charm, palms are a fantastic choice for any pool area.
2. Frangipani: Fragrant Blooms and Shade
Frangipani is a stunning addition to any poolside, known for its aromatic flowers in shades of white, pink, yellow, and red. The broad, glossy leaves and dense canopy provide natural shade, creating a cool, comfortable spot on hot days. Thriving in full sun, this drought-tolerant tree requires minimal water once established and has non-invasive roots that make it safe to plant near walls, pathways, and pool edges.
With its minimal maintenance needs, Frangipani offers a delightful mix of beauty and practicality, perfect for a low-water landscape. The vibrant flowers and lush greenery add a tropical touch that enhances the ambience of your poolside retreat.
3. Bougainvillaea: Vibrant Colour with Minimal Effort
Bougainvillaea is a vibrant, hardy vine that produces clusters of colourful, paper-like bracts in shades of purple, pink, red, and orange. This plant can be trained along trellises or allowed to cascade over walls, adding lush, eye-catching colour to poolside areas. Its bright hues last for months, providing visual appeal with little care required.
Perfect for full-sun locations, Bougainvillea is highly drought-tolerant, needing minimal water to thrive. It also requires only occasional pruning, allowing you to enjoy its dramatic colour without much upkeep. This plant’s resilience and striking beauty make it an ideal choice for those who want a vibrant landscape with minimal water and maintenance.
4. Bird of Paradise: Exotic Colour and Flair
The Bird of Paradise lives up to its name with its spectacular orange and blue flowers that resemble birds in flight. The large, banana-like leaves add lush greenery and provide a tropical look, making it a wonderful focal point for poolside settings. This plant thrives in full sunlight and is drought-tolerant once established, perfect for hot, dry conditions.
In addition to its exotic appearance, Bird of Paradise is a low-maintenance option, requiring little care once settled. Its striking flowers and bold leaves create visual interest, while its hardiness makes it ideal for busy homeowners. Bird of Paradise brings a vibrant splash of colour and a tropical feel that makes any pool area look like a resort.
5. Echeveria: Succulent Charm in Small Spaces
Echeveria, also called Mexican Snowball, is a small, rosette-shaped succulent known for its pale green, bluish, or pink-edged leaves. Its compact size makes it ideal for filling in gaps around larger plants or creating charming borders. Echeveria’s neat form and subtle colour add a touch of elegance without taking up too much space.
This succulent is exceptionally drought-tolerant and requires very little water to thrive. Echeveria’s low-maintenance nature makes it perfect for homeowners who want a sophisticated poolside look without high upkeep. Whether used in rock gardens, containers, or garden edges, Echeveria brings a refined touch to any poolside landscape.
6. Foxtail Agave: Architectural Elegance
Foxtail Agave is a rosette-shaped succulent with thick, bluish-green leaves that give it a sculptural, modern look. Its architectural form adds a bold, minimalist style that complements hardscapes and pool surrounds. Unlike some agave species, this variety lacks sharp spines, making it safer for walkways and pool areas.
Drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, agave thrives in full sun and dry conditions, requiring only minimal watering once established. Its dramatic shape and ease of care make it a standout option for poolside landscapes, adding sophistication and style to your outdoor space.
7. New Zealand Flax: Hardy and Bold
New Zealand Flax is a bold, hardy plant known for its long, upright leaves in hues of green, bronze, and chocolate. With its sword-like foliage, it creates a dramatic and striking look, adding depth to garden beds or creating structured borders around the pool.
Drought-resistant and versatile, New Zealand Flax thrives in both full sun and partial shade, making it adaptable to various poolside spots. Once established, it requires very little watering, making it perfect for Queensland’s hot climate. This plant’s striking appearance and resilience make it an excellent choice for a stylish, low-maintenance landscape.
8. Lomandra: Subtle, Textural Contrast
Lomandra is an Australian native grass-like plant with slender, graceful leaves that add a soft, textural element to poolside landscapes. This hardy perennial is ideal for mass planting or creating gentle, flowing borders around your pool area, providing a serene contrast to bolder plants like agave or palms.
Lomandra is highly drought-tolerant and thrives in both full sun and partial shade. It grows well in various soil types, making it versatile and dependable for low-maintenance landscaping. With its understated elegance, Lomandra adds balance to any poolside garden, creating a relaxing, natural feel that enhances the area’s overall tranquillity.
9. Star Jasmine: Fragrant, Evergreen Beauty
Star Jasmine is an evergreen vine with glossy dark green leaves and small, fragrant white flowers that bloom in spring. With its enchanting aroma and attractive foliage, this plant is an excellent choice for adding height and structure around the pool, whether as ground cover or trained along trellises and walls.
Drought-tolerant and easy to maintain, Star Jasmine is a perfect option for water-conscious homeowners. This plant needs only minimal pruning, allowing it to grow freely while maintaining its lush, tidy appearance. Its fragrance, evergreen nature, and low care needs make it ideal for creating a peaceful, beautiful poolside oasis.
Transform Your Backyard with Environ Pools
Ready to elevate your outdoor space even further? Check out our landscaping blog for more tips for planning your outdoor oasis! Whether you’re building a new pool or enhancing your current space, Environ Pools combines expertise and craftsmanship to create a poolside paradise that’s as stunning as it is sustainable. Contact Environ Pools today to start building the pool of your dreams and enjoy a beautiful, water-efficient oasis right in your backyard.
