Barry Bartakovits Custom Pools Yes/No

Create Your Own Tropical Paradise

If you want your backyard pool to feel like a Caribbean getaway, make it tropical with lush plants and lots of vivid color. Big, bold, colorful tropical plants create an unmistakable look. Redwood decking and outdoor lighting also add to the warmth.

As for tropical plants, the following make good choices:

• Palms in various sizes, placed in groups of threes with a taller palm in the center and shorter ones on either size.
• Tall cannas) (Canna edulis). Cannas have bright flowers in yellow, orange and red that resemble giant gladiolus.
• Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) bushes, which grow to 5 feet with heart shaped leaves and large five-petaled flowers. -- up to 5 inches across -- The flowers comes in a variety of colors and some are two-toned.
• Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) is a fast growing sturdy plant that throws out long branches. It is not a vine like morning glory (Convolvulaceae) or ivy (Hedera helix), but is similar to a climbing rose. Bougainvillea provides privacy for the pool when it is supported by fencing or lattice work. When it is grown over a pergola, bougainvillea adds overhead shade that's thick and colorful. Although it has small insignificant white flowers, bougainvillea has very colorful bracts, which are leaves that are shaped a little differently that the other leaves on the plant and grow around the flowers. Colors include bright red, fushia, peach, white and purple. Do not plant bougainvillea directly next to a pool because it has nasty thorns. It also sheds the bracts which can be messy in pool water.

Bird of paradise, ferns, and Japanese maples add to the effect, making the pool area feel cool, even on the hottest days.

At Barry Bartakovits Custom Pools, our people make the difference. Our team is comprised of eighteen experienced employees - four are PA State certified pool operators and our retail store is a licensed PA state certified chemical applicator. Our in-house team will work tirelessly to provide you with top-of-the-line service, before, during and after the sale of your new outdoor living space. Having just celebrated our 40th year in business, we are proud of the numerous prestigious awards we have received from the Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA), the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), Penn Jersey Pool & Spa Association, and the Lehigh Valley Builders Association. For more information, call us at 610) 691-7665 or visit http://www.custompoolsbybarry.com/.