Fooling the Eye

It takes more than a little imagination to get rid of the rectangles that naturally form the rear gardens of most urban townhouses.  This garden, designed by landscape architect Michael LoFurno of Composite Inc in Philadelphia, PA, was artfully turned, then paved and planted to make everything look more spacious. According to LoFurno, he designed a series of spaces on the diagonal "to relieve the shoebox effect" and "make everything look bigger."

The pergola attached to the house runs perpendicular to the rear brick facade of the townhouse, but LoFurno turned the step in front of the sliding glass doors at a 30 degree angle to give the garden its diagonals.  Pavers on the dining level close to the house are slightly larger than those on the lower level.  At the same time, LoFurno installed plants with larger leaves on the upper level -- Rhododendron maximum, large hostas, etc -- and plants with smaller, delicate leaves further out in the garden -- nandinas, mondo grass, japanese maples, Vinca minor.  This tricks the eye of the observer and makes the garden look larger than it really is.

The three-story townhouse is quite imposing when you're standing in the back yard, and the pergola, said LoFurno, helps to "bring the space down" and extends the living space from inside to outside.  The current owners are not horticultural people, but LoFurno said they bought the house because of the garden.  The living room is one story up, and it's the place where the garden can most be appreciated, unless, of course, you're sitting in the middle of it.