Creating a Bespoke Natural Swimming Pool:

The Art of Harmonising Vision with Nature

The creation of a natural swimming pool represents one of the most rewarding journeys in landscape design. Unlike conventional pools, which follow established templates and construction methods, each natural swimming pool emerges through a thoughtful dialogue between the homeowner’s vision, the property’s unique character, and the principles of living water ecosystems. This article explores the fascinating progression from initial concept to the moment when you first immerse yourself in the crystal-clear waters of your own natural swimming pool.

Beginning with Inspiration

Every natural swimming pool begins with a spark of inspiration. Perhaps it’s the memory of swimming in a mountain lake, an image from a design magazine, or simply the desire to create a more harmonious relationship between your home and its natural surroundings. For many of our clients, the journey starts with questions rather than certainties:

• How might a natural pool integrate with their existing garden design?

• What size and depth would suit their property and needs?

• How will the pool evolve through different seasons?

This exploratory phase is crucial. It’s where possibilities are explored and priorities established. Some prioritise larger swimming areas, while others are drawn to the rich biodiversity of extensive planted zones. Some envision formal, architectural designs, while others prefer naturalistic landscapes that mimic wild swimming environments.

Surveying the site

Once initial concepts take shape, the focus shifts to understanding the specific character of your property. Every site tells a story through its:

• Topography: The natural contours that can be embraced or reshaped

• Aspect: How sunlight travels across your garden throughout the day

• Views: Both from the house looking out and from the pool looking back

• Existing features: Trees, structures, and landscape elements to incorporate

• Soil conditions: Which influence construction methods and plant selection

This site survey isn’t merely technical—it’s about uncovering the unique potential of your specific location. The most successful natural pools feel as though they’ve always belonged in their setting, revealing rather than imposing themselves upon the landscape.

Designing Living Water

With inspiration established and site character understood, detailed design work begins. This phase requires balancing aesthetic vision with the technical requirements of a functioning aquatic ecosystem. Key design considerations include:

• Proportions: Finding the right balance between swimming area and regeneration zones

• Circulation: How water moves through the system to maintain clarity and health

• Access: Creating elegant entry points that are both beautiful and functional

• Filtration: Integrating biological filtration systems that work harmoniously with the design

• Planting schemes: Selecting aquatic plants that thrive in your specific conditions

• Materials: Choosing surfaces, edges, and details that enhance the overall concept

This design phase often reveals the difference between standard pool contractors and natural swimming pool specialists. The expertise involved extends beyond conventional pool engineering to include aquatic ecology, botany, and an understanding of how water behaves in natural systems.

From Paper to Reality: The Construction Process

The transformation from design to reality represents both the most challenging and rewarding phase of the journey. A typical construction sequence includes:

1. Site preparation: Carefully marking out the design and preparing access for equipment

2. Excavation: Sculpting the land to create the pool’s fundamental form

3. Structural work: Building the walls, base, and divisions between zones

4. Technical installation: Integrating filtration, plumbing, and circulation systems

5. Finishing: Applying liner materials and edge treatments

6. Planting: Installing the carefully selected aquatic plants

7. Filling: The momentous occasion when water first enters the system

8. Establishment: The critical early weeks when the ecosystem begins to find its balance

Throughout this process, decisions made years earlier during planning and design come to life. The theoretical becomes tangible as the pool takes shape within your landscape.

The Living Pool: Evolution and Maturation

Unlike conventional pools, which are essentially complete on day one, natural swimming pools continue to evolve and mature. The initial filling represents not an ending but a beginning—the start of a living system’s development. Over the first season, aquatic plants establish themselves, beneficial microorganisms populate the water, and the system gradually finds its balance. Each subsequent year brings new dimensions as plants mature, seasonal rhythms become established, and the pool develops its distinctive character. This evolution is part of the pleasure of owning a natural swimming pool. Rather than a static feature requiring constant maintenance to prevent change, it becomes a dynamic element in your garden that rewards attention and observation.

The Knowledge Advantage

Creating a truly exceptional natural swimming pool requires more than inspiration—it demands expertise. Every decision, from initial siting to plant selection to filtration design, benefits from specialised knowledge and experience. This is why our Natural Swimming Pool Course (21-23 June 2025) represents such a valuable opportunity for both homeowners and professionals. Over three immersive days at La Belle Eco in Montreal, France, participants gain insights into every aspect of this journey—from conceptual design principles to technical implementation details. With early bird pricing available until 21st April 2025, now is the ideal time to secure your place and gain the knowledge to navigate your own natural swimming pool journey with confidence.

Your Own Crystal-Clear Vision

Whether you’re contemplating a compact natural pool for a modest garden or an expansive swimming lake for a larger property, understanding the journey from concept to completion allows you to approach the process with clarity and confidence.The most successful natural swimming pools are those created through an informed dialogue between visionary design and technical expertise—precisely the combination our course is designed to provide. Secure Your Place – Early Bird Pricing Ends 21st April

Gary McArthur is a natural swimming pool specialist with over 40 years of horticultural expertise and a BSc in Landscape Management. Through Gardening in France, he has guided numerous clients through the journey of creating bespoke natural swimming pools across Europe.