Thanks a lot morningloree. Don't think I've ever seen a shrimp plant standard before! Anybody have any pics to share???

If your pool has a screen cage around it, you need to consider shade tolerant plants. I've got philodendrum, peace lily, and ginger in mine and all are doing well. Beware of flowering or messy plants, you don't want to be picking up after them all the time.

Thank you echobelly. Good point about the messy aspect.
Will keep that in mind.
Anybody have any good ideas about what plants or trees would work well and look nice with the landscape lighting??

I would also recommend a Lady Palm. Mine have flourished on the patio that faces north and gets a lot of shade. Also, there are some beautiful ferns out there that are related to the birdsnest fern but smaller--these new ferns are frilly and grow really well in pots. Mine has tripled its size in less than a year and is absolutely beautiful. I have three of them outside in the garden too and my potted one is much bigger. Oh, I'll be moving my orchids out to the same are within the next 2 weeks. They love it out there too. If you want pictures, I'll try to provide.

Thanks beachlily! I'd really appreciate pics!!! I love to see what other people are doing... especially as I have never had a pool before and want the planter areas to look nice, day or night! I'll have to look into those new ferns you mentioned. Where did you find them? I like the idea of something tallish for uplighting and shorter things beneath to keep the area looking lush. And what kind of orchids are you moving?

Good lord, don't tell me you heathens actually swim in your pools . . . so 20th Century! [lol]

Here is a link that might be useful: As for what to plant inside your pool?

Interesting link there but not quite what I had in mind. I'd like to actually swim in the pool I spent a lot of money putting in... It's the planters I;m looking for plants to plant in .

Here is a picture that includes the lady palm and the frilly fern. I got all 3 of the ferns at local nurseries--2 at one place, and the third at a different place. They are real easy care. My husband looked at the picture and said he thought these plants were a step above the average pool plant. I'm not sure, but I do love them. Neither of them sheds.

I looked for any plant information, and none of the ferns were tagged. If you print out this picture and take it to a nursery, they might recognize it. Goggling might help too.

Why the heck did it drop the picture???? Here it is!

Beachlily,great pic and those plants would look great...they really are a step above the usual. Now if I can just find those frilly guys! Whereabouts are those garden centers??
Can you keep them outside all winter in Z9A??

I did bring them in. I'm just north of New Smyrna Beach on the barrier island. Just above the inlet. I didn't need to, but, oh my, I do love them. The ferns that stayed outside in the ground didn't get touched. The birdnests have been here 6 years and never frozen or frosted. Maybe when it got down to 26 degrees, I may have covered them with a frost cloth. Not in the past 4 yr.

Since you are in Melbourne, I'll take a trip around and see if anyone has them. Tomorrow? I'll let you know. And dude, you probably are 9b.

Thanks for the info Beachlily. I like that area in your neck of the woods! Yup, I'm definately in 9B here but it's amazing how much difference there is even in the same zone. Where we are moving to Junish is still 9B but winter nights are often much colder and summer days much warmer than Melbourne. Plants that do well here for years often die back in the middle of the state (Poinciana), so I'll have to be careful what I choose. I think of it as more zone 9A and 1/2!
I hate leaving most of my plants behind but understand the new owner(coming from WA state) has a green thumb. That'll be quite a gardening transition!!
Am getting ready to bring up some potted plants to friends in Sanford to babysit, as we will need to find temp housing for 1-2 months before closing on the new house.. So can't be checking out the nurseries til we get settled in. I feel the withdrawl symptoms already!

Oh my! There is a visitor in the area from Wisconsin. She spoke to me one day and we struck up a friendship. She enjoys gardening with me and bragging to friends up north that she planted a banana tree!

Anyway the two nurseries I visit are GardenArts in New Smyrna Beach and Lindleys Nursery in New Smyrna Beach. This a.m. I talked with Jim the owner of GardenArts. He has birdsnest ferns, elkhorn ferns and those densely packed ferns that are a type of birdsnest fern. The densely packed fern is what was in my picture. People in both stores are great, but it's a long drive for you. My husband will attend a tech session at the Melbourne Porsche store on Mar. 3. Perhaps I could buy what you need and send him down there with them and you could meet him? Look around. I KNOW these two nurseries get plants from the local market. They are both small and personal to visit.

I'm sure that in Poinciana frost cloth placed over these plants should be fine unless the weather goes back to what it was 5 yr ago, then if they are in pots they can be moved inside.

This post was edited by beachlily on Sat, Feb 23, 13 at 7:02

OK. I went to GardenArts today. Jim is a wonderful guy! He had what he calls a bushy, dense form of birdsnest ferns. He also had the thing that looks like elkhorn ferns that I bought last year. It is another offshoot of birdsnest ferns. Anyway, the bushy one was 1/3 of the size I have now, and it is $9.50. His prices are usually 20% below those of Lindleys. I didn't go to Lindleys--bad parking, and the traffic could give you a migraine. Race week, here in the area.

Beachlily, thanks so much for going to all that trouble checking out the plants at your local nurseries and, even more, for offering to have your husband drop them off.
Wow, I wish I could take you up on that kind offer!
Bu, unfortunately we are only taking a limited number of low-maintenance, low water needs plants up to our friends and have to leave the rest behind for the new owner. If we were moving to our new home directly, it would be great. But we will have to find a place to live for 2 months between moves and will not be able to have any plants with us for that duration.
But again, thank you, thank you for going thru all that effort for me. I will most certainly keep those plants in mind for June as they would be just the ticket and I will be on the lookout for them at that point (after unpacking, of course, LOL)..

In the mean time, will continue to look for more ideas and pics! Any ideas about taller plants/trees I could use above them for uplighting purposes??? That wouldn't overwhelm the small 3 1/2 ft square space???