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When it comes to pool landscaping, many homeowners are moving away from traditional, blistering hot concrete and pavers in favour of something much more inviting: a cool, refreshing oasis of natural grass. If you have been scrolling through social media for garden inspiration, you have probably noticed that pools with grass around them have a certain high-end, resort-style elegance. But before you transform your yard, you need to make an informed decision about the type of ground cover that will frame your poolside oasis.
Whether you have active kids practising water sports, a busy family entertaining friends on the weekend, or you simply want a stunning space to walk on barefoot, selecting the right instant turf is essential. Let’s dive into the expert advice from the Coolabah team to unpack exactly what your swimming pool requires for a lifetime of backyard happiness.
TURF AROUND POOL: ARTIFICIAL GRASS VS. NATURAL GRASS
Should you choose real, natural grass or opt for ‘modern’ artificial grass? At first glance, installing artificial turf might seem like a shortcut to a low-maintenance lifestyle. Artificial lawn is often marketed as zero upkeep. However, before choosing fake grass, it’s critical to look at the long-term durability and liveability of synthetic grass compared to natural turf. Synthetic materials lack the ability to breathe. Over time, exposure to harsh pool chemicals, constant splashing, and strong chlorine can cause some types of synthetic turf to degrade, break down and fade under intense sunlight.
Worse yet, on a scorching summer afternoon, an artificial turf surface absorbs a massive amount of heat. Instead of a comfortable surface to step onto after a swim, synthetic surfaces can feel like a frying pan, making it painfully hot to touch and impossible for kids or pets to run around safely barefoot. In the harsh summer heat, those synthetic fibres can literally begin to melt and fall apart, while everyday friction turns once-smooth plastic blades into a rough, spiky surface that is anything but barefoot-friendly.
On the flip side, premium natural grass thrives where plastic fails, acting as a dynamic, living filter and built-in cooling system for your entire poolside space. A natural lawn doesn't just look spectacular; it naturally adapts to handle the wet, splash-heavy realities of a backyard oasis beautifully. Living plants naturally release moisture, which helps to drastically reduce heat around the pool area and keeps the ambient temperature down, creating a genuinely refreshing microclimate in your backyard.
When pool water splashes past the pool edge, a living lawn effortlessly absorbs the runoff, naturally neutralising the impact of salt or chlorine through its soil profile. There is absolutely no need for intensive scrubbing, specialised chemical cleaners or harsh chemicals to keep it fresh. Instead, you get a self-repairing ecosystem that naturally stays clean, remains cool, and feels beautifully soft and inviting underfoot, making it the undisputed champion for those classic Aussie summer days.
DESIGNING YOUR DREAM POOLSIDE
If you love the look of pools with grass around them, execution is everything. Creating a successful layout means understanding how your turf will interact with moisture and traffic.
To prevent your beautiful new lawn from turning into a patch of mud, proper drainage is non-negotiable. When landscaping a pool area, ensure the ground has a slight fall away from the pool shell. This ensures that excess water from heavy splashing drains through the soil profile efficiently rather than pooling on top.
A well-prepared sand-based underlay beneath our fresh turf ensures excellent drainage, helping to prevent waterlogging and keeping your lawn healthy, firm and resilient, without the soggy, messy mud patches that can come from poor drainage.
GRASS AROUND POOL IDEAS
Ready to gather some inspiration for your own backyard project? Integrating natural turf around pool zones can be done in various ways to suit your home's aesthetic. Here are a few creative ideas to spark your imagination:
- The Urban Resort (The Coping Border): Install a sleek, 300mm to 500mm wide border of large-format stone pavers (like bluestone or travertine) immediately around the pool shell as a splash and walk zone, and have your lush green grass meet the stone perfectly. It offers a clean look while keeping grass clippings out of the water.
- The Stepping Stone Pathway: Intersperse large, geometric concrete or natural stone pavers directly into the lawn area. This creates a functional, architectural pathway for heavy foot traffic from the house to the pool, preventing wear on the turf while looking incredibly modern.
- The Seamless Green Sun-Deck: Forget timber decking that requires constant oiling. Dedicate a wide, flush expanse of ultra-soft, Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo right next to your pool's glass fencing. It creates the ultimate natural sun-lounging zone where you can toss down some outdoor beanbags and relax on a soft, cool surface.
- Organic Curves and Contours: Break up the sharp, rigid geometric lines of a standard rectangular pool by laying your grass in sweeping, organic curves. You can frame these curved turf edges with low-maintenance native garden beds to soften the entire pool area and give it a tropical oasis feel.
SPLASH-PROOF LAWN VARIETIES
Because the area around the pool is a high-wear zone, the variety of grass you choose must be tough enough to withstand heavy foot traffic while remaining a healthy, attractive appearance through the seasons. At Coolabah Turf, we recommend pairing your pool design with a variety that thrives in your backyard conditions. Whether that’s direct sunlight or partially shaded areas, our team can help you make the right choice.
Here are the top "splash-proof" recommendations from the Coolabah Crew:
- Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo: This legendary variety is salt-tolerant and well suited to poolside areas. It is exceptionally soft underfoot (perfect for barefoot walks) and loves the sun while maintaining excellent shade tolerance in shaded areas cast by pool fences, shade cloths or umbrellas. It’s one of our most popular choices for Aussie backyards.
- TifTuf Bermuda: A world-class choice for sun-drenched yards. It offers unmatched durability against heavy foot traffic, recovers incredibly fast from backyard water sports, and requires very little water to stay green.
- Sir Grange Zoysia: If you want that sleek, ultra-modern resort look, Sir Grange is a stunning, slow-growing option. It requires very low maintenance and is well suited to creating a beautiful poolside setting, while its fine leaf feels like a plush, luxury carpet underfoot.
FROM PADDOCK TO POOLSIDE: HOW TO LAY FRESH GRASS AROUND POOL AREA EDGES
Laying turf around a pool requires a little more finesse than a standard rectangular front lawn, but the results are entirely worth it. Because pools usually feature curves, geometric paving, and tight boundary paths, getting your ordering and installation right is key.
STEP 1: MEASURING UP YOUR POOL SURROUND
Measuring a pool area can feel like a geometry exam, but the trick is to break the space down into smaller, manageable sections.
- Divide the grass zones around your pool into individual rectangles or squares.
- Measure the length and width of each section in metres, multiply them together to get the square metreage, and add them all together.
The Golden Pool Rule: Always add a 10% to 15% wastage allowance to your final total. Fitting turf precisely around curved pool edges, pavers, and garden beds requires a lot of custom trimming, which means you will naturally have more offcuts than a standard square lawn. Trust us, it’s much better to have a few spare slabs left over than to run short right at the very end!
STEP 2: LAYING YOUR SLAB-CUT TURF
When your order arrives fresh from our farm, our slab-cut turf makes installation a joy. Slabs are lighter, faster to lay, and structurally tighter than traditional rolls.
- Start laying your turf along the longest straight edge first. This is usually your paving header course or pool coping border.
- Butt the edges of the slabs tightly together without overlapping them.
- When navigating curves or pool fence posts, use a sharp large knife or a spade to neatly trim the turf to shape.
- Once laid, roll the turf immediately to ensure excellent contact between the roots and your prepared soil, then water it deeply within 30 minutes of laying.
Need help laying your turf? Give us a call; we’d be more than happy to help you out.
MANAGING UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE YEAR ROUND
Many homeowners worry that a poolside lawn means endless maintenance. Won’t mowing push grass clippings into the water? With a bit of smart planning, maintaining real grass around the pool is incredibly simple.
When it's time for routine mowing, simply set your mower catcher to secure the clippings, or mow away from the water's edge. You can also design a narrow border of decorative pavers or sleek concrete between the pool coping and the grass line. This header course acts as a dedicated walk zone, gives your mower a clean edge to ride on, and keeps any rogue blades of grass far away from your pool filtration system.
By choosing a premium turf variety from Coolabah Turf, you can keep lawn maintenance simple while enjoying a durable outdoor space. With the right variety and proper care, your lawn will recover well from regular use.
No more worrying about tracking dirt or dust onto synthetic fibres; instead, you get a clean, green, natural playground that enhances your property value and keeps the whole family smiling.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON YOUR POOL AREA DESIGN
Ultimately, choosing the right ground cover for your pool area comes down to how you want your backyard to look, feel and function. Natural turf stays cool and soft underfoot, adds a fresh, living feel to your backyard and creates a comfortable space for bare feet, kids and the whole family to enjoy.
If you’re ready to bring your backyard vision to life, the Coolabah Turf team is here to help you choose a variety that suits your space and lifestyle. Backed by our Coolabah Great Grass Guarantee and our Lawn Care Advice for Life, we’re here to support you from choosing your turf through to getting it established. Find the right pool-side lawn for your backyard today.
