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Hot Tub Landscaping On a Budget

Sun setting sky over a lake, sun reflecting off water, mountains and trees in the background, stairs leading up to a deck, hot tub on deck

Do you need ideas for hot tub landscaping on a budget? Or are you a homeowner just starting to design your outdoor living space? This article will give you plenty of hot tub landscaping ideas that you can use to improve the area around your hot tub or spa!

A hot tub or spa is a worthwhile investment that will improve your overall well-being and health. It will also offer a distinctive element to your outdoor space. We have everything you need to be inspired if you need hot tub landscaping ideas!

A hot tub or spa and its surrounding deck are a fantastic place for you to relax with your friends and family members. Even if you are alone, you can simply enjoy your hot tub’s relaxing space and enjoy the view.

A hot tub encourages you to use the outdoor living space of your home, and it also encourages socialization among your neighbors, friends, and family. Who doesn’t want to be invited over to relax in the hot tub or tranquil spa and enjoy your beautiful outdoor oasis?

Woman in black bathing suit in a bubbling hot tub, flowers and greenery around hottub

You might be working with a budget, and that’s okay! It’s not difficult to find appropriate landscaping for your backyard and hot tub. We have you covered with many ideas to decorate around your hot tub and make a spectacular outdoor oasis!

It doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to make your hot tub landscaping appear distinctive and trendy. We will give you great hot tub ideas to landscape your hot tub in an affordable way and make it a beautiful addition and space for your home.

How Do You Landscape a Hot Tub?

After purchasing a hot tub or spa for your outdoor living area, landscaping around the tub is a must-do next step. You could just put your hot tub in your backyard and leave it there without any landscaping, but that wouldn’t get you very far in creating your backyard oasis! Landscaping and decor around your hot tub will transform your outdoor space into a backyard paradise.

Close up of a white spa, crystal clear water and a small water spout spitting water out, pink flowers in the background, sunny day

First, take a hard look at your backyard. Is the hot tub going to be the focal point of your outdoor space, or is it simply a beautiful addition to your backyard? If the hot tub is the focal point, you will want to add more hot tub landscaping and decor to make it stand out and pop.

You may also want to consider your entertaining style. Will the hot tub or spa only be used when you relax with a quiet cup of tea, or will you host parties and gatherings? If it will be an entertaining space and you plan on hosting hot tub parties, then focus on both the hot tub landscaping and the entire patio design.

If the hot tub spa is not the design centerpiece, you won’t have to do as much for landscape design. With some creativity and hard work, you can have the perfect backyard!

You can add smaller decorative accessories and other decor to make it look like a relaxing and luxurious space. You will want to make sure the hot tub fits in with the landscape design of the rest of the backyard and blends in seamlessly.

Once you’ve determined how much you need to landscape around your hot tub, you can decide what to add or take away from your existing backyard landscape. If your deck design allows for the hot tub to be on the deck, you have the added benefit of using your current design and decor as your hot tub landscaping.

For example, if you are in your hot tub and have a great view blocked by tree limbs or outdoor furniture placement, you will first want to clear that out.

Cabin in the mountains, above ground hottub on wooden deck overlooking mountains and trees and greenery

Hot tubs are relaxing, and to maintain that tranquil feel, it’s important to remove anything in the current design that doesn’t contribute to the spa-like feeling.

Then it’s time to start adding in landscape and decor that adds beauty and a zen-like ambiance to the backyard and hot tub. The landscaping should add, not compete with the hot tub experience. What do you put around a hot tub?

When working on a budget, start with what you already have. Look around your home and see if there is anything you already own that could help you create an inviting space around your hot tub.

Small Touches Make a Big Difference

It doesn’t take a major renovation to create an inviting space for hot tub landscaping. It’s a great idea to remember that your backyard is an extension of your living area. From updating your existing patio furniture to adding in decor and flowers, you will easily be able to create a backyard paradise.

If your hot tub is covered with a roof or privacy walls, you have an instant art gallery. Try hanging inspirational artwork that will give you something to contemplate when relaxing in your hot tub spa.

Add a few colorful pillows or an outdoor rug. You’ll instantly have a backyard design that makes the hot tub feel like a relaxing living space. Choose materials that can resist exposure to the elements when designing an area in your garden.

An easy way to create a cozy ambiance with your hot tub design is to add a fire pit nearby. A fire pit is available in all price ranges and styles to meet any budget. A modern design fire pit will instantly make your hot tub look more contemporary.

Close up of a couple in a hottub with a glass of wine and candles on the side

If you don’t have hard-wired electricity outdoors, we have some great ideas for lighting. From string lights, pathway lights, candles, or solar lanterns, there are many budget-friendly ideas to incorporate within your hot tub deck design.

Backyard with an above ground spa with cover, white vinyl fence, lattice porch cover with string lighting all around perimeter,

String lights can create a romantic mood with just the click of a switch. When hanging string lights near water features, make sure it is done safely, and they will not come into contact with the water. Hot tub ideas often show string lights for ambiance, but make sure to get lights rated for outdoor use.

Close up of a small fountain next to a brown wicker chair and purple and pink flowers in a bright blue flowerpot

A water feature or backyard fountain always adds beauty and is a great hot tub landscaping idea. If you have the budget and time for a significant renovation, you could include prominent water features. A Koi pond or backyard fountain with running water would be a fantastic addition.

However, a simple backyard project would be to create a space for a solar fountain or birdbath. Trickling water adds to the tranquil spa theme of a relaxing hot tub space.

Wooden deck with a round in ground hotter, wooden lounge chairs all around with green umbrellas, sunny day, green trees and plants all around

If you want a zen-like ambiance, it’s important not to have too much clutter and remember that less is more. Too many plants or decor items surrounding the hot tub may prevent easy access to getting in and out.

Consider Your Surroundings and Outdoor Space

Backyard with unground hot tub with wooden deck around it, small white rocks with green trees and shrubs all around deck, green grass and stepping stones, sunny day

When it comes to hot tubs and hot tub landscaping ideas, what’s in your line of vision while relaxing in the hot tub is even more important than what you put near the hot tub. Hot tub landscaping ideas often focus only on what is next to the hot tub. But what you are looking at while on the hot tub deck is just as important.

Some backyard ideas include planting flowers. Create beautiful flower beds that can be in view from the hot tub, and you will always have pleasant scenery. Choose bright colors for a tropical feel, or use lots of white and green for a spa-like theme. Garden landscape centers provide great service when you need to order many plants or flowers. Remember to order early in the season because if you wait too long, you will wish you had done it a month ago!

Close up of a spa with stone all around it, potted plants all around, sunny day

If your hot tub design needs to be on a smaller scale, or perhaps your backyard is too tiny for flower beds, you can always go with potted plants. Potted plants are a great alternative to planting flowers and can be changed quickly with the seasons.

While enjoying your hot tub, do you have a great view of your patio or back door? An easy way to add more color to your backyard is by painting your back door in a coordinating color. Hot tub landscaping ideas can incorporate more than just what is in your backyard. Focusing on the small details is how you get a luxury look on a budget.

If you have a new hot tub, chances are you will want to make sure your existing patio furniture is also new and not in need of repairs. If getting a new patio set is not in your budget, no need to worry! You are not stuck with your old patio furniture! Old patio furniture can be transformed to look like new patio furniture with a new coat of paint.

Backyard deck with wooden benches around the outside edges, round above ground spa with blue inside, barbecue and black metal table and chair set, large green lawn and blue sky and tall green trees, sunny day

You should also make sure that your backyard is frequently trimmed and watered so that your plants and grass thrive. Maintaining a neat appearance and not having to look at unfinished chores will help you relax after a hectic day. If you have a larger budget, a great service is using a landscape company to help you create a backyard plan that is low maintenance.

Gorgeous pastel sky and mountains in the background, spa with wooden deck, the back of a woman wearing a brown hat relaxing in the hot tub, brown coffee mug filled with hot coffee

Imagine starting your day in the hot tub with a quiet cup of coffee and taking in the snow. If you plan on having beverages or perhaps even reading in the hot tub, make sure to have an additional space nearby to lay down your items.

Small portable hot tubs, green turf all around on ground, wooden ledge around perimeter of hot tub holding drinks and towels

Some hot tubs include a ledge for resting items safely out of the water. When you first decide to purchase a hot tub, consider one with a deck or shelf running around the top edge of the hot tub. This will be the perfect place to keep your drinks or towels safe and dry.

Close up of a round hot tub with a wooden shelf, two drinks on the shelf, sunny day

If your hot tub doesn’t have a ledge, consider adding a small side table you can reach from the hot tub. If your patio furniture is close by, you might be able to arrange a table or chair within easy reach.

Snowy covered mountains, snow in the ground and small cabin like buildings all around, in ground hot tubs all throoughout little town, blue night sky

If you want to use the hot tub in the winter months, you will want to create an easy access path to your hot tub for a quick entry and exit in the snow. Adding a concrete slab path or laying down pavers is a simple backyard project that will help you appreciate your hot tub year-round.

How Can I Make My Hot Tub More Attractive?

Hot tubs come in many different styles to fit any budget. An easy way to upgrade your hot tub and make it look more attractive is by focusing on and upgrading the landscaping and the elements around the hot tub. Hot tub landscaping ideas include adding flowers and plants and having beautiful decor surrounding the hot tub.

When you have a limited budget, one of the best places to spend your money for hot tub landscaping ideas is by purchasing a hot tub that will integrate with your home and deck. A popular hot tub design is to have wood panels on the front, and they are available in many shades. The popular colors from Hot Spring Spas, shown above, are gray and brown, and either choice will coordinate with any landscape.

Backyard with stone pavers, wooden stairs leading up to above ground spa, black metal table and chair set with umbrella, tan wooden fence, tall green trees in the background

A simple upgrade is adding stained wooden stairs to match your hot tub or your hot tub deck. These can be purchased, or it’s a great DIY project for the woodworker.

Small round hot tub faced with tan brick, waterfall flowing into pool, teal tiles inside, green plants and trees around

Using lots of texture and height gives a very luxurious look to a hot tub. Consider using bricks or the stone wall from your house. Building flower beds of varying sizes makes the hot tub and deck look custom.

Often people choose to put the hot tub in a secluded corner because it can be an eyesore. Typically, the cover on the hot tub is not attractive, and nobody likes having it just lay on the deck. As provided by Bullfrog spas in the above photo, one solution is to purchase a cover that can be raised like a canopy and add shade. If buying a cover like this is out of your budget, you can try to create your own version.

Focus on the deck space where the hot tub or spa will be installed to make it look better. A raised deck like in the above photo from Hot Spring Spas is an excellent example of coordinating landscaping, decking, and a privacy wall to maximize curb appeal.

Hot Tubs and Privacy

This Long Island Hot tub was installed on a deck in the Hamptons. A green hedge provides a natural privacy fence and keeps unwanted attention away. The stained deck coordinates with the wood tone on the hot tub. Staining your deck to match the hot tub is a simple backyard project that can be finished over a long weekend.

This fantastic photo of a hot tub by Hot Spring Spas was taken over a month ago. It shows a great way to create privacy by combining a modern design slat wall with greenery. The hanging plants in this secluded corner surround the hot tub with nature.

Hot tub landscaping ideas that create privacy don’t require a major renovation. Include tall panels and screens that can be moved around on the deck or a spa side umbrella in your design. A spa side umbrella provides a shady space as well as some privacy.