By the way, I am in zone 7A. :)

don't do any gravel around them but interspersed clumps of tall native grasses will be a nice backdrop to your pool. we just added some behind our pool in front of the fence. sadly we have no rocks.

Check out decomposed granite, it would look great around those .. leaves would be no issue, it packs well and doesn't distort like gravel, you can plant in it as well, grasses are a good match.

Thanks!!!

How about some for an entry driveway with your house numbers and the rest as abackdrop to the pool with grasses

Might be nice to incorporate the left overs within the pool's design and perhaps the pool people can help in the design. If you are creating a walkway to the fire pit or pool, they work well to define the space. You could also leave many where they are and build layers - by adding smaller rocks, grasses, and bushes.

Search the box above under Photos for boulder in landscape to get some ideas.

Thanks! This helps! I like the idea of adding ornamental grasses, and I would definitely like to take a few, if possible, and incorporate them in some bed around the landscape. I would love to use them in a waterfall, but I have a feeling the pool contractor would charg me a pretty penny for that. But I will ask!

New England opinion: I like them where they are. The stones look like an old boundary line.

If I did anything, I would add more stones and a couple of plants. The fence will be a nice back drop.