When it comes to gardening around a pool or water feature, it’s important to know what plants to look for to make sure everything goes swimmingly. For example, some plants may become damaged from a saltwater pool or have difficulty being in the full sun. By carefully choosing the plants you place in your landscaping, you can ensure a summer of fun and easy-going greenery.

Wednesdays are for music! Whitaker Music Festival concerts will be held outdoors on the lawn of the Cohen Amphitheater this summer at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The festival is funded by the Whitaker Foundation, which supports St. Louis arts and parks to promote common heritage, celebrate diversity and encourage vitality within the community.

More specifically, the bubbling, splashing, gurgling sound of rushing water is the stuff of daily curtain calls. The stage set is green and glowing; filled with daffodils and dogwoods in spring and ferns, sedum and astilbe in summer. Shrubs such as sumac, boxwood, viburnum, hydrangea and creeping juniper provide a constant backdrop and the fall color is spectacular.

The homeowner worked with The Pool Specialists to transform his previously tiny pool into a new lap pool that is a replica of his pool in California. He wanted the longest lap pool he could fit into the restricted space dictated by size requirements from Ladue. Construction required the homeowner to build a concrete wall as well as fill in a lot of land in order to get a flat piece of landscape for the pool. The west wall serves as a water fountain.

The main objective of this project was to match the pool to the home’s modern ‘rustic’ look. The design of the pool was integral to the outdoor spaces—specifically the stone patio, a meditation garden and the surrounding natural landscape. Auburn Park Landscaping installed a dry creek for the homeowners to help mitigate water runoff and the pool provides additional ambience to these quiet, meditative areas.

Bauer Falls was given the task of breathing new life into this 30-year-old pool. With the vision of creating a gathering place for family and friends, they began by removing bricks, breaking up concrete, removing stumps and adding new technology into the previous space. The addition of updated hardscapes truly took the pool to a new level. By developing the perfect balance between pool space and sitting areas, guests are now drawn closer to the pool and able to be immersed in the plants and seating areas that have been so meticulously created.