Hoping to get some ideas about how to landscape around a pool we put in just before winter. A couple notes:

1. We plan to put in an outdoor fire pit with a natural gas line. It will look like a campfire with a rock ring and fire logs. Not sure where the best spot for that is, and what to put around it. I’ve gotten suggestions of crushed granite, pea gravel, stamped concrete, flagstone. Flagstone is really expensive around here.

2. We plan to put either grass around most of the area. Not sure whether to put it right up to the pool deck or have some kind of border around the concrete. Just don’t want to be shooting grass clipping every time I mow.

3. I feel like we probably need a few bushes or trees but lost on ideas and placement. Any thoughts?

4. Thewoofen deck has an opaque stain on it. I wouldn’t have chosen that color if I knew we were putting the grey pool deck in. I think we need to re-stain it to something more complimentary. Maybe I’m overthinking it?