You have the pool, but your landscape design and landscape maintenance are not complete until you decide how to surround your space with a pool deck.
In the Pacific Northwest weather, you’ll need something resistant to the rain and wind that comes after the summer season. Many materials might work. We’ll summarize a few options here that are the most popular. You can browse thousands of ideas and designs online. Your budget and preferences will determine the result! Pressure-treated wood is the most popular material for pool decking, because of the ease of use and price. The average price is $2 per square foot. The wood used is cheap pine that is treated to resist mold, rot, and insects. It is prone to warp over time, however, so the maintenance can end up being more involved than you’d like. Cedar is such a beautiful color, and is another option for pool decking. This option is for those who love the natural look in their yard. The wood is lightweight but sturdy. Make sure you treat it with weather-resistant stain so that it retains its original color. Otherwise, it will gradually turn gray. The cost is about $6 per square foot. Composites are quickly becoming a popular choice. A composite is made of synthetic materials made to look like wood. The price is higher - up to about $10 per square foot - but the maintenance is minimal. You’re paying more but can rest assured that it will last. Another attractive choice is to use pavers for your pool deck. They have the look of natural stone, are slip resistant, and very durable. With pavers, the choice is endless. There are so many shades and styles that you can match them to create the best look for your space. If for some reason one of the pavers becomes damaged, you can spot replace them very easily. Make sure to fill in between the gaps with a polymer sand and protect with a sealant at installation. The average cost of pavers is between $16 and $24 per square foot. Whether it’s wood, composite, or pavers, you’ll want a pool deck that complements your outdoor space in the warm Willamette Valley sunshine. We can help you here at Graham Landscape with a design and materials that work best for your budget and lifestyle needs.
2 Comments
“Here Comes the Sun…”
You know that famous Beatles tune? Here in the Pacific Northwest, you may not feel it’s always appropriate with those gray days of winter! Anyway, in this post, we’re giving you landscape design suggestions to make the most of summer, with a few flowers and plants that thrive in the Willamette Valley summer sunshine. Let’s start with a plant that will last from spring all the way through to late fall when other flowers fade. The Hosta (Plantain Lily) is native to Asia and thrives in the mild Oregon weather. There are many varieties of the Hosta, so you can find one to your color preference and size. They can grow to up to 3 feet and some have a slight fragrance. Depending on the variety, this plant grows best in partial sun, so put it close to a nearby tree, although some enjoy full sun too. If you’re just starting out, this plant is a sturdy one to try. You’ll have a beautiful plant without much work at all! For a dramatic touch to your garden, add a “Masterpiece” lupine (Lupinus) with its bold red/purple color and tall spires about 2 feet tall. Butterflies and hummingbirds will flock to these tall flowers. They are a stunning addition for late spring into early summer. Following the early summer lupine, the late summer/early fall Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) adds its bright red hue as the seasons move towards a cooler temperature. It can grow 2-4 feet tall and is deer- and rabbit-resistant, too! Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a lovely yellow flower that opens early evening into the morning, and from summer into fall. They attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees and are best used as a border or in a wildflower setting. The leaves and flowers are also edible, so you can try something a little different in your summer salad. Another lovely and cheerful yellow flower, commonly known as the “Black-Eyed Susan” (Rudbeckia hirta) will thrive in the Pacific Northwest climate. They are resilient and can survive with less rain if it happens to be a drier summer than usual. They stand 1-3 feet tall and are versatile. Plant them as border flower, in a pot, or as an accent plant in a larger area. There are a great many more plants and flowers that can accent your garden. For more ideas and help, contact us at Graham Landscape for all your landscape design needs in the Eugene, Springfield, Corvallis, Salem, and Roseburg areas of Oregon. |
OUR BLOG
Check here to see what we've been up to! Categories
All
|