Small Venice Garden Transformation: Tropical-Themed Outdoor Rooms with Hammock, Dining, and Fruit Trees

Small Venice Garden Transformation: Tropical-Themed Outdoor Rooms with Hammock, Dining, and Fruit Trees

Four years ago, a funky 1970s Venice, CA backyard. Designer Daniela Rechtszaid transformed the house during remodeling; yard destroyed. She hired landscape architect Russ Cletta with must-haves: eat, relax, hammock, treasured root beer plant (Piper auritum).

Cletta, just back from Costa Rica, blended trip impressions with the couple's heritages (Buenos Aires, Mexico City) for a tropical theme.

• Front yard: hammock near lounge chairs.
• Backyard: dining/entertaining. L-shaped wooden bench (designed by Cletta) appears to float atop concrete; cozy with fire at night.
• King palms edge dining area—"When there's a breeze, they sound like running water."
• Fruit trees for busy advertising exec Quintana who unwinds in kitchen.
• Fall dinner for 30 friends featured stuffed chiles with walnut sauce using garden ingredients.

Design: Griffith and Cletta, Venice, CA (310/399-4727)

Tips for a Small Garden

• Divide into "rooms" (living, dining, lounging).
• Play with illusion: low plants foreground, tall back; coarse texture front, fine back; accent plants obscure background hinting at "space beyond."
• Use plants to break up paving—force traversal to reach dining terrace.
• Limit color palette, repeat plantings: green variations soothe; color as accents. Privacy screen of trees (podocarpus).