March 15, 2019 – Are you, like me, just thrilled that spring is nearly here? Turning the clocks forward last weekend and seeing the light of day fade later just makes me happy.

If you’ve been thinking about a hot tub, or already have one and getting ready to revive that backyard space surrounding it, we’ve got some great suggestions for the perfect plants for your hot tub environment.

If you’re looking for some ways to create privacy around your tub, we’ve had many customers that love the idea of bamboo. Bamboo grows tall, is sturdy, and can certainly create natural fencing around part of your hot tub where you’d rather not have the prying eyes of neighbors focused during your hot tub soaks. I personally always like the idea of bamboo—but only if it’s planted in decorative ceramic pots. Sometimes bamboo can take off and get away from you if it’s planted in the ground. Pots will help you tame and maintain it.

Another great option is Red Osier Dogwood. This shrub can grow up to nine feet tall, making it another way to create some natural privacy for your hot tub. It’s a plant with lush green foliage that will eventually transition to a light reddish purple when fall rolls around. Accented by clusters of small white flowers amongst its foliage, you’re sure to enjoy this hardy addition to your tub area.

Who isn’t a fan of Japanese Maple Trees? There’s something incredibly calming and peaceful to me about a Japanese Maple, which makes them a wonderful choice in a garden space near your tub. I love the many color variations available, and they grow slowly so you’ll not have them overwhelm your space or need tons of care. Planting one in the western portion of the space near your hot tub is entirely appropriate, given that in Japan the maple is known as the “autumn welcoming tree” due to it being the direction from which fall comes. (Fun fact: Did you know that the leaves of Japanese Maples can be deep fried in tempura batter and eaten?? They’re a popular snack in Osaka! Some chefs store leaves in salt barrels for a year to make them particularly tasty.)

One last tree you could consider is the Saucer Magnolia. They’ll add a splash of color with blossoms in the early spring that have a pink hue. These can grow to significant heights—up to thirty feet! Because their spread can be about 25’, you might want to plant a Saucer Magnolia a big further from your hot tub to prevent flowers/leaves dropping in the tub during a soak.

If you’ve got some nearby fencing, ivy or wisteria can create some whimsy and give you that sense of a Shangri-La getaway. The sweet fragrance of wisteria will add a natural “aromatherapeutic” accent to your hot tub soaks. Make sure the fence or trellis used to aid wisteria in its climb is sturdy—it will need that support for its upward ascent. Remember that it does need a fair amount of sunlight, and it’s a grower! It will need regular pruning.

If you’d like another plant that will add some sweet fragrance to your hot tub soaks, consider Sweet Box plants. They have hardy evergreen leaves and have a lovely scent in the winter when it blooms. The tiny white flowers are often accented by small round black or red fruits—probably one of the reasons they’re also known as Christmas box plants. They can grow up to five feet tall.

Lilacs and lavender are two other terrific choices to add surrounding your hot tub to soothe your senses while you soak.

Finally, ferns are always a nice low-lying option to accent your hot tub garden space. Japanese Painted Ferns are quite terrific, as they’ll offer some extra texture and color. Planting a number of these together will add some great depth and ground coverage. These are also especially lovely when you soak in the nighttime under a full moon. The lunar glow gives the leaves a stunning look!

Hopefully these ideas will spur you on and get your gardening juices flowing to create a stunning environment for your hot tub. Always a good idea to consult your local nurseries for some suggestions too.