Creating a private oasis around your pool is essential for enjoyment and relaxation without prying eyes. Many homeowners need tall privacy screening for various reasons. One of the most common is blocking views from the neighboring homes’ second-story windows. Using fast-growing evergreen trees is the most effective and aesthetically pleasing way to enhance your pool’s privacy. Our area’s two most popular evergreens for pool privacy are the Nellie Stevens Holly and Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae. In the Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia, and Northern West Virginia areas, Pryor’s Nursery has been the trusted local source for over 40 years.
Why the Nellie Stevens Holly?
The Nellie Stevens Holly is a great addition to any landscape! Their rapid growth rate can add privacy to your pool area within a relatively short period. Thus allowing you to enjoy a secluded pool area in less time. This holly variety features dense, glossy, dark green leaves that create an effective visual barrier, shielding your pool area from prying eyes. The thick foliage also helps to reduce noise levels and wind gusts, enhancing the tranquility of your poolside environment. Reducing the wind gusts makes the pool area a bit warmer, thereby making the pool a little warmer. A warm pool is desirable for the short pool season here in Maryland, DC, Virginia, and West Virginia. Plus, the kids will love the added swimmable pool days!
The Nellie Stevens Holly is adaptable to various soil conditions (clay to sandy soils), making it suitable for the diverse landscapes in the MD, DC, Northern VA, and Northern West VA. These hollies can tolerate pool splashing!
What to consider with Nellie Steven Holly Trees
As with most evergreen trees, regular pruning is necessary to maintain the desired shape and size of Nellie Stevens Holly. Proper pruning techniques will help prevent overgrowth and ensure a healthy and aesthetically pleasing tree. However, this maintenance requirement should be considered when choosing this variety for pool privacy. Spacing them further apart can reduce the amount of pruning but means a more extended time until they grow together.
Nellie Stevens Hollies produce attractive red berries during winter, adding to the tree’s visual appeal. Additionally, in the early spring in our area, the tree may shed leaves periodically, requiring minor cleanup with a leaf blower. However, nothing like the leaf drop you see from deciduous trees.
Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae for Pool Privacy
Thuja Green Giant (Thuja standishii x plicata ‘Green Giant’) is an excellent choice for quickly establishing pool privacy. It can grow 2-3 feet per year in the mid-Atlantic region and reach heights of up to 60 feet, creating a tall and robust barrier around your pool area. Known for its low-maintenance nature. Its natural pyramidal shape requires minimal pruning to maintain its form. Especially beneficial for pool owners who prefer a hassle-free privacy solution.
While Thuja Green Giant provides an enhanced level of pool privacy, its foliage density is relatively moderate compared to the Nellie Stevens Holly. The Thuja Green Giant prefers well-drained soil and may not tolerate extremely wet or poorly drained areas. Assessing the soil conditions around your pool before planting this tree variety is essential.
Pool Privacy Planting Considerations
Given the root structure of many evergreen trees and how big they can grow, you want them at least 5′ or more from your pool surround or deck and approximately 3′ out from any fence. We recommend planting them 5′ apart, from trunk to trunk, but we can plant them closer if you want them to fill in sooner. However, the growth rate for the desired height would be the same. For optimal coverage, we recommend planting at least 10′ evergreens, but at a minimum, 6′ trees due to the time it will take for them to fill in and reach the height you desire. For a more visually appealing look, we would recommend two rows with the trees alternately planted in the rows. This would immediately provide horizontal coverage while crafting a tranquil and nature-inspired ambiance. Planting can be done either before or after the pool has been installed.
Choosing suitable evergreen trees to enhance your pool’s privacy is crucial for creating a tranquil and secluded swimming environment. At Pryor’s Nursery, you can choose to personally select your trees at our farm for us to install them professionally. You can also order your Evergreens online.
