Spring has Sprung! If your green thumb is itching to get to work in your Backyard Oasis, Better Homes & Gardens has ideas for a variety of situations. Whether you want to create shade, privacy, or keep insects away from your pool, they have tips as well as beautiful photos to get your creative juices flowing.

If you don’t have time to read the whole article, here is a quick recap of their ideas:

• Include Shade – look for trees that provide a lot of shade, without a lot of shedding so you don’t add to your pool maintenance. You’ll also want to avoid plants with aggressive root systems.
• Plant in Pockets – this is great if you have existing landscaping that you want to refresh, and tackle small areas of your landscaping one at a time.
• Add Height – Pools by their very nature are horizontal, so adding height with raised beds and plants of varying height can really up the visual impact.
• Offer Privacy – Trees, Shrubs, and fences are all good options here, as well as pergolas and trellises with gorgeous vines.
• Keep Bees Away – since a swarm of bees right around the pool isn’t the best for anyone, stick with shrubs and grasses near the pool and keep the flowering plants further away.

We personally love their idea of adding height with raised beds, trees and shrubs, and invite you to check out the entire article and beautiful pictures!