Bottlebrush didn't make it - never really liked them. Looking for something that blooms but doesn't fall all over in the pool. Suggestions?

Red sage. They bloom all spring and summer and fall. Mine just survived the Dallas winter.

You didn't say where you live. In the Houston area, My bananas survived after I chopped them down. I like them to block the western sun. I'm planting Giant White along with Mexican bird of paradise ( to obstruct people as it's thorny). Both get over 20' tall.
Also moy grande and Texas white star Hibiscus are awesome. Although the hibiscus do drop their leaves and flowers in the fall they're larger and are easier to clean out of the pool.

Cannas also are awesome, have a great variety and the leaves and flowers stay intact and out of the pool.

I just had my landscaping redone, and my guy installed a bunch of salvias/sage (Mystic Spires, Jerusalem Sage, etc.), artemisia, rosemary, and lantana adjacent to the pool. I like how it turned out. I'm in Plano.

Salvia and Drift Rose (compact rose) are two of my favorites to plant.

Bump.

I like the plant ideas mentioned so far. Also looking for more ideas of perennials that do well around the pool and don't create a big mess in the pool.

If you want something more tropical, go with Plumerias. You can pot them and then submerge the pot into the ground. They do need to be put indoors when the temps drop below 50 but I think it's worth it.

You can then yank the pots out of the ground and store inside.

You never said where you live, can't make a good recommendation without that info

That would help! Houston

I have purple showers behind our wall….and love them. New flowers everyday.

Maynight salvia and Indigo spires salvia look great all summer. Coral drift rose or really any color drift rose are easily manageable and bloom nicely. Lantana is also another nice one, but can spread out

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