Most of the homes in the Goodmans' neighborhood in Berkeley, California, sit just 20' from the street, and the back yards aren't much bigger. It can be tough to create the illusion of space and provide running room for small children. The homeowners used waterfalls and streams, wide walkways and curved, open spaces paved with flagstone to create the illusion of a much larger space. The flagstone patios also provide space for outdoor entertaining, cooking and lounging. By using just a few kinds of plants in each area, the Goodmans created the look of a much larger space. And using a variety of the foliage colors and textures--for example, purple-leafed loropetalum planted behind strappy-leafed iris--provides depth, a necessary look in a small space. Japanese anemone (Anemone hupehensis var. japonica) picks up the bright-green color of the iris and offers a third interesting texture. Using repeating foliage colors helps tie the garden together and keeps the eye moving from one spot to the next. The use of purple-leafed Japanese maples (Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood') and Loropetalum chinense 'Rubra' and 'Burgundy' exemplifies the technique. To create the illusion of depth, the Goodmans used a variety of shapes, sizes and textures to take the viewer on a visual journey from one plant to another before ever reaching the entryway. Plants with small foliage--such as Japanese maples, Pieris japonica and mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus)--give the impression of a much larger area. In order to create a waterfall flowing in a stream toward the house, the Goodmans had the back yard graded with a slight slope.
| 
)
)
)
)
)
