Close your eyes for a second and picture stepping into your backyard when the air’s warm and the ambiance of your surroundings feels slow, unbothered. There’s a faint rustle of palms, water folding gently into itself, and the light hits just right through the fronds overhead. You didn’t check into a five-star resort. You walked out your back door.
That kind of feeling isn’t random. It’s created intentionally through thoughtful landscape design in Omaha, paired with calming details like lighting, natural textures, and the right water features Omaha homeowners love for year-round ambiance.
Pathways That Don’t Just Lead, They Whisper You In
A straight concrete path to the pool is efficient, like a hallway in a dentist’s office—that’s not what you’re going for. Curves matter, texture matters, and you want stepping stones that make you slow down, not speed up.
Use irregular flagstone, spaced out over creeping thyme or dwarf mondo grass. Line it with low, fragrant herbs, rosemary, lavender, lemon balm, not for the look, for the scent when you brush past it barefoot. You’ll love the way it marks the beginning of your private retreat.
Forget Borders. Go For Immersion.
Your pool shouldn’t sit there like a fish tank on a pedestal. It should feel grounded, built into the landscape, and surrounded by layers that blur the line between “garden” and “getaway.”
Use elephant ears that flap like sails and soft grasses that wave in the breeze. Tall birds of paradise that cast shadows in the afternoon. Go messy on purpose, and keep it trimmed just enough to let the illusion hold
Furniture That Belongs, Not Furniture That Competes
This is where most people go wrong. They find something “pool-friendly” and think that’s enough. If your furniture looks like it came from the patio clearance aisle, you’ll feel it, and not in a good way.
Go for pieces that disappear into the space. Woven teak, matte steel, thick, low cushions that beg for lounging. Skip the prints and stick to solids in sand, fog, moss, go natural, but not boring. This is about tone, furniture shouldn’t scream over the landscaping, it should sit back and support the story.
Water Needs Friends: Give It More Movement
You already have a pool, and that’s a good start, but now it’s time to make it “talk.” Water needs company, sounds, textures, rhythm. Add a spillover wall where water sheets down clean stone or a fountain bowl tucked into the garden that gurgles like it’s hiding a secret.
These design elements aren’t dramatic features, they’re punctuation marks on your landscape that tell your brain this is a place to exhale and relax.
Shade Without the Bulk
You don’t need a gazebo, you need shade that looks like it grew there. A few well-placed umbrellas are fine, but planting your shade adds more character and makes the space feel intentional.
Use bamboo screens, tall palms, or pergola slats paired with climbing vines. Shade isn’t just sun protection. It shapes mood, softens harsh light, and makes everything feel calmer.
Lighting That Works Like Magic, Not Like Security
Floodlights kill the mood, and you’re not guarding a warehouse. Hang lanterns low and string soft lights between trees. Light the path underfoot, not overhead. Use uplights on palms and spotlights tucked behind ornamental grass. Let the water glow from underneath, not above.
These elements make the difference between “backyard at night” and “resort after hours.” You don’t need to create brightness, you’re looking to give your landscape a little more mystery.
Create Corners That Aren’t About Swimming
Every resort has a secret nook, and yours should too. A bench under a tree with room for one, a pair of sling chairs next to a planter where the sun hits just right around 10 a.m., or a small café table tucked near a wind chime or bird feeder, where coffee feels different.
Not everything needs to orbit the pool. The best places let you wander just far enough away that coming back feels like returning to center.
Design With Sound, Not Just Sight
You’re not just landscaping for looks. Sound changes everything, so let the plants rustle, let the water run, let the wind pass through tall stems instead of bouncing off hard walls.
What you’re really doing is composing a soundscape. A slow one that’s built for long afternoons and even longer silences.
Don’t Landscape Like You’re on a Deadline
Take your time and let things grow in. Move a chair after a week if it doesn’t feel right and let the lighting tell you where to place the next plant. Step back at different times of day and take in your surroundings, this kind of space isn’t built in a weekend, it unfolds like a chilled day by the pool that turns into a slow evening with nowhere to be but here.
Upgrade Your Backyard with Landscape Design in Omaha
Antler Country Landscaping has helped homeowners bring outdoor spaces to life with expert planning, quality craftsmanship, and details that make a backyard feel like a true escape. From full-service landscape design in Omaha to custom water features, we create outdoor environments built for comfort, beauty, and long-term enjoyment.
Ready to transform your pool area into a resort-style retreat? Contact us today to explore your options and get started on a design that fits your space and your lifestyle.