We put our above ground pool in on a Saturday in June, and by August it was still just sitting there on bare dirt with the ladder leaning against the side, looking exactly like what it was — a big metal tub someone dropped in the yard.
It took us until the following spring to actually landscape around it, and the difference wasn’t subtle. The same pool, the same yard, and suddenly it looked like we’d planned the whole thing instead of just plopped a pool down and called it done.
That’s the real problem with above ground pools that nobody tells you when you’re buying one: the pool itself is the easy part.
Above ground pool landscaping is what determines whether the finished result looks intentional or like a giant tub sitting awkwardly in the middle of your lawn, and most of the ideas that actually solve that problem are genuinely doable as a weekend DIY project, not a full backyard renovation.
So this is a real list of DIY above ground pool landscaping ideas, grouped by the part of the project they solve — decking and access, privacy and plantings, ground cover, lighting, and the budget-tier options depending on how much you’re actually trying to spend.
I’ve done a handful of these myself, picked up a few from neighbors who landscaped around their own pools, and included the honest trade-offs, because not every idea here works for every yard or every budget.
Deck and Patio Ideas for Above Ground Pools
1. A partial wraparound deck instead of full circle decking
A full wraparound deck around an above ground pool is a serious project and a serious cost, but a partial deck — covering just the entry side and maybe one additional section — solves the two biggest problems (a real place to sit down by the water and a proper stepped entry) without the expense or labor of decking the whole perimeter.
Pro tip: build the deck at the same height as the pool’s top rail, not higher or lower. A deck that sits below the rail leaves an awkward step-up into the pool, and one built above it makes leaning over the edge to grab something out of the water more of a stretch than it needs to be.
2. A simple ground-level entry platform
For a lower-budget option than a full deck, a small ground-level platform — really just a raised wooden or composite section leading up to the ladder — gives you a stable, non-muddy entry point without the cost of an elevated deck structure.
3. Gravel or paver patio around the base instead of decking
Skipping wood decking entirely in favor of a paver or gravel patio around the pool’s base handles the same core problem — muddy, grass-worn ground right around the pool — at a noticeably lower cost, and it’s genuinely one of the more approachable DIY weekend projects on this whole list.
4. A small side deck just for lounge chairs
Rather than decking the whole pool, a modest side deck sized just for a couple of lounge chairs gives you a real spot to sit poolside without committing to a full wraparound structure, which matters if your yard or budget can’t support the bigger version.
| Pool Perimeter Option | Approx. Cost (DIY) | Difficulty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full wraparound deck | $2,000–$6,000+ | Advanced, multi-weekend | Yards where the pool is a long-term fixture |
| Partial deck (entry + one side) | $700–$2,000 | Moderate | Most standard backyards on a mid-range budget |
| Ground-level entry platform | $150–$400 | Beginner-friendly | Tight budgets, temporary setups |
| Gravel or paver patio ring | $200–$600 | Beginner-to-moderate | Fastest visible improvement for the cost |
Privacy and Planting Ideas
5. Fast-growing privacy shrubs along one side
If your pool is visible from a neighbor’s yard or the street, planting fast-growing shrubs (arborvitae and privet are common choices depending on your climate) along just the exposed side solves the privacy issue without fencing in the entire yard.
6. Large planters instead of in-ground beds
For renters or anyone who might move the pool in future years, large planters arranged around the base give you the same greenery and softened look as in-ground landscaping without committing to permanent plantings you’d have to dig up later.
7. A living privacy screen with a trellis and climbing vine
A simple wooden or metal trellis with a fast-climbing vine (clematis and climbing hydrangea are popular picks depending on your zone) creates a green privacy wall that fills in over a season or two, and it’s a noticeably cheaper DIY option than installing a solid fence panel for the same purpose.
8. Ornamental grasses around the base for movement and softness
Ornamental grasses planted in a loose ring around the pool’s base add height and movement without blocking views the way a full shrub line would, which is a nice middle ground if you want some softening greenery but not full privacy screening.
Pro tip for plantings: keep anything with thorns, heavy pollen, or messy seed pods well away from the immediate pool area — my neighbor planted a beautiful flowering shrub right next to her pool’s ladder and spent the whole first summer fishing petals and pollen out of the water. Save the showier flowering plants for a few feet back.
Ground Cover and Base Ideas
9. Rubber mulch ring around the pool base
Rubber mulch handles the muddy-ground problem around a pool’s base without the splinter risk of wood mulch or the heat retention issue of dark gravel underfoot in direct summer sun, and it holds up to repeated wetting better than most organic mulch options.
10. Pea gravel for drainage and a clean look
Pea gravel is one of the more popular DIY ground cover choices around above ground pools specifically because it drains well (important right where pool water splashes out regularly) and gives a clean, finished edge without much ongoing maintenance.
11. Artificial turf ring instead of real grass
Real grass right around a pool base tends to get worn down fast from foot traffic and repeated wet-dry cycles — a ring of artificial turf holds up far better and skips the muddy, patchy look that real grass in that exact spot often ends up with by mid-summer.
12. Stepping stones from the house to the pool
A simple stepping stone path from your back door to the pool entry solves the “walking through wet grass with pool gear” problem, and it’s one of the easier DIY additions on this list — a weekend project at most, depending on the length of the path.
Lighting Ideas for Above Ground Pools
13. Solar path lights along the base
Solar-powered path lights placed around the pool’s perimeter give you visibility for evening swims without any wiring, which makes this one of the most beginner-friendly lighting upgrades on the whole list.
14. String lights around the top rail
Running warm white string lights along the pool’s top rail (many above ground pools have a rail structure that works well for this) adds ambiance for evening use and is a genuinely low-cost way to make the pool area feel more like an intentional outdoor living space after dark.
15. Underwater LED lights
For a bigger lighting upgrade, battery-powered or plug-in underwater LED lights (many are designed to just clip onto the pool wall) change the whole feel of nighttime swimming, though this is a bigger investment than the solar or string light options above and worth comparing models carefully before buying.
Fencing and Safety-Focused Landscaping Ideas
16. A low decorative fence disguised as landscaping
Many areas require fencing around above ground pools for safety and insurance reasons, and a decorative low fence — styled to look more like a garden border than a pure safety barrier — can satisfy that requirement without looking purely functional.
17. Hedge planting as a natural safety barrier
A dense hedge line can serve double duty as both privacy screening and a physical barrier discouraging casual wandering into the pool area, though it’s worth checking your local regulations first, since some areas specifically require a fence rather than accepting plantings as a substitute.
18. A gated entry point built into the landscaping
If you’re adding decking or a platform, building a simple gate directly into that structure — rather than adding fencing as a completely separate project later — tends to look more cohesive and saves you from retrofitting a safety feature after the rest of the landscaping is already done.
Budget-Friendly DIY Landscaping Ideas
19. Straw bale seating around the perimeter
This sounds unconventional, but a ring of straw bales arranged around part of the pool’s base is a genuinely popular low-cost seasonal seating solution — cheap, easy to remove or replace each year, and surprisingly comfortable with a cushion or towel on top.
20. Repurposed pallet decking
Wood pallets, sanded and sealed, can be assembled into a basic small deck or entry platform for a fraction of the cost of buying new decking lumber — it’s more labor-intensive than buying pre-cut boards, but it’s one of the cheapest routes to a real deck surface if you’re willing to put in the extra weekend of work.
21. Painted cinder blocks as planters and edging
Cinder blocks, painted and arranged around the pool’s base, double as both edging and small planters for the vertical holes in each block — an inexpensive way to add both structure and greenery in one step.
22. Mulch instead of gravel or pavers for the base ring
If pavers or gravel are outside your budget, a simple ring of mulch around the pool’s base handles the same basic muddy-ground problem for noticeably less money, even though it needs to be refreshed more often than gravel or pavers would.
Pro tip: whatever ground cover you choose, slope it very slightly away from the pool rather than flat or toward it — a reader mentioned in the comments that she didn’t think about drainage at all in her first landscaping attempt, and ended up with standing water pooling right at the base of the pool wall every time it rained, which she had to redo the following spring.
Seasonal and Multi-Purpose Landscaping Ideas
23. A landscaped storage nook for pool equipment
Building a small enclosed or screened storage area into the surrounding landscaping — for the pump, hoses, and pool cover — keeps equipment out of view without needing an actual shed, and it’s a detail that makes the whole setup look more finished than equipment left sitting in the open.
24. Container gardens that can move with the seasons
Since above ground pools are sometimes a more temporary backyard feature than an in-ground pool, container plantings that can be relocated give you flexibility if you ever move the pool or want to change the layout without redoing permanent landscaping.
25. A shaded pergola or shade sail over part of the deck
For a bigger project, a simple pergola frame or a shade sail rigged over part of a deck or seating area solves the “no shade anywhere near the pool” problem that a lot of above ground pool setups run into, especially in yards without much existing tree cover.
26. Off-season landscaping that still looks intentional
In colder climates where the pool is covered for several months, landscaping that still looks deliberate with the cover on — evergreen plantings nearby, a tidy gravel or paver base that doesn’t need seasonal upkeep — keeps the whole area from looking abandoned for half the year.
What I’d Actually Do First
If I were starting over with a bare above ground pool in a bare yard, I wouldn’t start with the decking — I’d start with the ground cover around the base and a basic entry platform, because that’s what turned our pool from “thing sitting on dirt” into something that actually looked planned, and it’s the cheapest, fastest fix on this entire list.
Not every idea here needs to happen at once, and honestly, most people landscape around an above ground pool in stages over a couple of seasons rather than all in one weekend.
Start with whatever’s bothering you most right now — muddy ground, no privacy, nowhere to sit — and build out from there.
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