PATRIOTPOOLS & SPASPATRIOT RESEARCH / 16 SOURCED FINDINGS
A backyard plan needs places to sit, routes that work and planting that fits its conditions. The pool is one part of that everyday experience.
This guide connects homeowner survey findings with official landscape guidance. It separates the uses people reported from the soil, shade and maintenance questions that need a property-specific answer.
A FEW FINDINGS TO START WITH
01 / backyard landscaping
Outdoor space can support a quiet morning as well as a group around the pool. Decide which uses deserve room before filling the plan with features.
The Houzz survey found several common uses among people undertaking outdoor renovations. Its respondents could include more than one kind of area. The useful planning question is which activities matter to your household and where they fit relative to the pool and house.
In Patriot’s project photographs, the pool, paved terrace, seating and putting green have distinct places. Use the images to discuss those relationships. They illustrate one completed layout; they do not establish what every property can accommodate.
| Measure | Value (%) |
|---|---|
| Lounge / seating | 83 |
| Dining | 55 |
| Quiet retreat / reading | 53 |
In the 2026 Houzz outdoor-renovation survey, 83% of renovating homeowners included lounge or seating areas.
Seating was the most common outdoor living space.
Scope: 1,191 U.S. Houzz users recently renovating, planning or undertaking outdoor renovation; survey April 25-May 6, 2026 Houzz respondents, not all U.S. homeowners or a local forecast.
Houzz: Homeowners Are Designing Outdoor Spaces for Living, Not Listing, Houzz Study FindsIn the 2026 Houzz outdoor-renovation survey, 55% of renovating homeowners included dining areas.
Dining was a common use alongside lounging.
Scope: 1,191 U.S. Houzz users recently renovating, planning or undertaking outdoor renovation; survey April 25-May 6, 2026 Respondents could plan multiple outdoor uses.
Houzz: Homeowners Are Designing Outdoor Spaces for Living, Not Listing, Houzz Study FindsIn the 2026 Houzz outdoor-renovation survey, 53% of renovating homeowners included quiet retreats or reading areas.
Outdoor plans included quieter everyday activities.
Scope: 1,191 U.S. Houzz users recently renovating, planning or undertaking outdoor renovation; survey April 25-May 6, 2026 Houzz survey respondents; no Charlotte subset reported.
Houzz: Homeowners Are Designing Outdoor Spaces for Living, Not Listing, Houzz Study Finds02 / backyard landscaping
Privacy works best when you identify the view that matters. A screen can be designed around that need instead of filling every boundary with the same planting.
NC State identifies plant and built-screen options. Consider the available space, mature growth and upkeep when comparing them. A boundary screen and access protection for the water are different design questions; address each explicitly.
Houzz’s professional-use finding describes the choices survey respondents made. It does not prove that hiring a professional causes a particular outcome. A practical design conversation should show how the proposal addresses your intended uses and property constraints.
In the 2026 Houzz outdoor-renovation survey, 71% of renovating homeowners hired a professional.
Professional participation increased compared with the previous survey.
Scope: 1,191 U.S. Houzz users recently renovating, planning or undertaking outdoor renovation; survey April 25-May 6, 2026 Survey association, not proof a professional causes better outcomes.
Houzz: Homeowners Are Designing Outdoor Spaces for Living, Not Listing, Houzz Study FindsNC State Extension identifies evergreen shrubs, fences and trellised vines as privacy-screen options.
Select the screen to fit available space.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Guidance, not a claim that every plant remains opaque all year.
NC State Extension: 19. Landscape Design03 / backyard landscaping
Drainage, sunlight and space for mature growth give the planting list its limits. A familiar species or a native label does not answer every site question.
NC State’s planting-site screening method can flag poor drainage. It does not establish an engineered infiltration rate or solve runoff around a pool. If water movement is affecting the hardscape or house, bring that into the property-specific design discussion.
Native range is useful context, but growing conditions still decide whether a plant fits a bed. Choose the location and conditions before using a plant label as the deciding factor.
NC State Extension says water remaining after 24 hours in its planting-site test hole indicates poorly drained soil.
Plant selection should match the drainage conditions.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Planting screening method, not an engineered infiltration or stormwater-compliance test.
NC State Extension: 11. Woody OrnamentalsNC State Extension says ecoregion and growing conditions matter more than whether a plant occurs within a particular county.
Check native range together with site suitability.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Native does not mean suitable for every poolside site.
NC State Extension: 12. Native Plants04 / backyard landscaping
A future canopy is not immediate shade. Plan where people will sit now and how the planting changes the yard over time.
DOE’s tree guidance describes air-temperature comparisons and the time a slow-growing tree may need to shade a roof. Neither is a pool-deck temperature rating. Use those distinctions when comparing an immediate shade arrangement with a long-term planting plan.
The view from the house, the hours you use the pool and the area you want shaded belong in the brief. A planting that solves one sightline may not shade the seating at the time you use it.
DOE guidance says air directly under trees can be 25°F cooler than air above a nearby blacktop parking lot.
Trees can be selected for desired shade.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Air-temperature comparison, not pool-deck surface temperature or guaranteed cooling.
U.S. Department of Energy: Consumer Guide to Home LandscapingDOE guidance says a slow-growing tree may require up to 10 years before it shades a roof.
Tree placement needs to account for mature growth.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Species and site dependent; not a timeline for every tree or poolside canopy.
U.S. Department of Energy: Consumer Guide to Home Landscaping05 / backyard landscaping
New beds, turf and paving change where water belongs. The irrigation system should follow the finished layout rather than continue its old pattern.
EPA’s comparisons and expert estimate explain why efficient scheduling and system checks matter. They do not predict a saving at an individual home. Look for where water lands, whether the pattern matches the planting and whether the conditions have changed.
Separate plants with different watering needs into suitable hydrozones. If natural grass is part of the design, the turf reference includes historical Charlotte-area irrigation modeling with its limits. Artificial turf has a different maintenance discussion; replacing lawn irrigation does not establish zero water use.
EPA says experts estimate as much as 50 percent of water used outdoors is wasted through overwatering caused by inefficient irrigation methods and systems.
Review how irrigation applies water to the landscape.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Expert estimate cited by EPA; not a measured loss for every home.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Take ActionEPA says homes with clock-timer irrigation use about 50 percent more outdoor water than homes without irrigation systems.
Incorrect programming and leaks can add waste.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Retain about and the comparator; not a causal savings guarantee.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Sprinkler Spruce-UpEPA recommends an irrigation audit approximately every three years.
An auditor checks water-use efficiency and performance.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey General guidance; condition or changed landscaping may require earlier attention.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Home MaintenanceEPA recommends separate hydrozones for turf and shrubs because their watering needs differ.
Group plants by their irrigation requirements.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Guidance, not a quantified water-saving promise.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Landscaping Tips06 / backyard landscaping
An established tree is part of the site brief. Construction access and later planting care need different plans.
NC State describes a protective mulch layer for construction traffic and a different depth for ordinary woody-plant beds. Do not interchange those recommendations. Keep the intended use of the material attached to the instruction.
Ask how access and staging will protect desirable plants during the work, then request an upkeep plan for the completed landscape. That plan should account for the actual plants and materials beside the pool.
NC State Extension recommends 2 inches to 3 inches of organic mulch for the described woody-plant planting area.
Mulch helps retain moisture and moderates soil temperature.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Woody-plant guidance; choose material and depth for the specific bed.
NC State Extension: 11. Woody OrnamentalsNC State Extension advises keeping organic mulch at least 6 inches from the trunk or crown.
Clearance supports air circulation around the plant.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Planting guidance; not a pool-edge clearance rule.
NC State Extension: 11. Woody OrnamentalsNC State Extension recommends limiting construction traffic to paths covered with 6 inches to 10 inches of mulch when protecting desirable trees.
Compaction from construction equipment can damage roots.
Scope: Official guidance; not a population survey Temporary construction protection guidance; not the mulch depth for ordinary planting beds.
NC State Extension: 11. Woody OrnamentalsDescribe where you want to sit, how you move from the house and which views you want screened. Identify the plants and features you hope to keep. The design center can discuss a coordinated pool, spa, turf and landscape around that brief.
A planting list should reflect drainage and growing conditions. Ask how the beds, lawn, paving and irrigation will work together. If there is a recurring wet area, include it in the design conversation before choosing materials.
Discuss mulch, mature growth, irrigation checks and construction protection as part of the scope. Immediate shade and future tree shade need different expectations. Request care instructions matched to the selected plants and installed systems.
In the 2026 Houzz outdoor survey, lounging, dining and quiet retreats were common planned uses. Start by deciding which of those activities matters to your household.
NC State Extension describes a planting-site test in which water remaining after 24 hours indicates poor drainage. That screening does not replace an engineered drainage design.
For the described woody-plant area, NC State Extension recommends 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch and at least 6 inches of clearance from the trunk or crown.
EPA recommends separate hydrozones because turf and shrubs have different water needs. Match the irrigation layout to the planting layout.
DOE notes that a slow-growing tree may take up to 10 years to shade a roof. The time and location of shade depend on the tree and site; plan immediate and mature shade separately.
Native range is one factor. NC State Extension emphasizes ecoregion and growing conditions, so check sunlight, drainage and the space available for the mature plant.
That is a layout and product decision. Compare the intended uses, shade, heat, drainage and upkeep using the turf reference. The landscape evidence does not establish one best surface for every backyard.
Planting-site screening can identify poor drainage, but it is not an engineered drainage design. Ask for the water movement and site conditions to be assessed before choosing planting or paving as the solution.
A current quote needs the actual site and scope: planting, finished surfaces, preparation, drainage and ongoing care. This collection does not verify a current Patriot price or universal local landscaping average. Use the evidence to refine the brief, then compare complete proposals.
READ THE LIMITS AS WELL AS THE RESULTS
This is a source compilation, not original Patriot survey research. We opened primary publications, retained the relevant population and conditions, and separated measurements from official instructions. Manufacturer examples identify their model and do not imply Patriot stocks that product. An independent reviewer checked the source findings before release. We prefer a smaller useful evidence set to unsupported figures or repeated statistics.
The research group considered 42 candidate findings; 16 sourced entries are included on this page. Sources were checked on October 5, 2026. The collection includes numeric findings and qualitative official guidance; those labels are shown separately. Our refresh schedule is quarterly, with earlier checks for revised guidance.
Source publication dates stay separate from the date this guide was reviewed. Undated pages are marked as such. Historical studies and national project benchmarks remain dated; they are not current Patriot prices or local forecasts.
When using a finding, keep its source, date and qualifications. Cite the original publication for the underlying research and this guide when crediting the compilation.
Patriot Pools & Spas. Outdoor living & pool landscaping: uses, shade and water research. Updated October 5, 2026. A compilation of cited primary sources. https://www.patriotpoolsandspas.com/research/outdoor-living-landscaping-statistics
THE NEXT PART OF THE BACKYARD
Pool building, ownership & custom spasArtificial turf, grass & putting greensPool decking, pavers & drainagePool water care & green-pool recoveryPool pumps, filters & equipment repairA USEFUL NEXT QUESTION
Practical guides for planning a backyard, caring for the water and understanding the next step.
Pool landscaping that leaves room to live