Enhance your entertainment area with a spa
Spas are great for everything, from fun with friends, to relaxing family or couple time, or even muscle recovery and pain relief (heat therapy has been found to help increase blood flow, stimulating and relaxing the muscles).
To make the most of your spa pool, it should complement and blend with your landscaping and architecture, rather than be an afterthought, and there are a few things you will need to consider. Design, location and use are good starting points.
Location will often dictate design. While a spa can be physically placed just about anywhere, the perfect spot will depend on your home and landscape design and layout, and your personal tastes.
Who will be using your spa? If it’s for the whole family, or for entertaining friends, consider locating it close to the house, or outdoor seating area.
However, if your teenagers and their friends will use it, you might want it further away from the house for noise control!
If you have a swimming pool, placing a spa next to it might suit or, if you want privacy, place it more remotely.
From a practical point of view, ensure you have delivery access and structural support. A four-inch concrete slab is recommended.
Also think about drainage and the damage moisture can cause to wooden decks and other structures. Consider creating a specific paved area, or building your spa into your deck.
You’ll need to drain your spa entirely a few times a year and incidental overflow is common. So it’s best to consider placing it near an existing drain.
When it comes to planting and landscaping, you can create a relaxing oasis with planning.
Keep your planting palette tight, concentrating on select plants and repeating them in groups. Choose a planting theme that will tie in to your overall outdoor space, but also one that will not create headaches when it comes to maintenance; it’s not just a matter of planting what you think will look good.
Choose plants that keep their leaves all year – so you are not cleaning up when they fall – and don’t need too much pruning back, such as Griselinia Littoralis, Ficus Fussi, Monstera or Lily of the Valley.
A key goal is minimising the amount of leaf debris, so avoid plants that drop leaves, needles, fruits or nuts. Certain paper-thin and tiny flowers (crepe myrtle, bougainvillea, azalea) clog filters, and fruits and berries from trees can stain your spa pool cover and pool hardscape.
If privacy is a priority, a grove of palm trees or bamboo can work well, no matter how close your neighbours are. Alternatively, fence the area and dress it up with climbing or flowering plants, such as clematis or pandorea.
Access is a key consideration. Crushed rock, wood chips and grass might look nice around your spa, but they’re not so nice on your feet or in the water, so wooden or paved walkways are more practical.
Creative lighting is another way to set the mood you want. Spas will often have a variety of lighting options on offer and you can complement those with enhanced highlighting of plants, pathways and landscaped areas; picture your spa as the centrepiece of your landscape design.
To make sure you get the right spa for your space, research the options available.
For whatever use you have in mind, most importantly, enjoy!