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In the Hollywood Hills, a boring backyard becomes a dream sanctuary with hints of India

By Debra Prinzing Mala Vasan wanted to transform her small yard in Hollywood. Tucked behind a 1924 Spanish bungalow and hemmed in by her own garage as well as her neighbor's, Vasan's yard was attractive "only to a family of skunks that used to walk across the space," she says. She turned to landscape designer Laura Morton, and in their conversations they eventually discussed a lush oasis influenced by the home's Spanish-style architecture, Mala's Indian American heritage and the two women's mutual love of travel. "She showed me a file of imagery she'd been daydreaming about, including exotic pictures of India with elephants," Morton says. In the end, the 16-by-32-foot patio was re-imagined as a two-level courtyard that feels far away from Los Angeles. " Enclosed spaces instill a sense of intimacy," Morton says, "and within that your own sense of paradise is possible."

By Debra Prinzing

Mala Vasan wanted to transform her small yard in Hollywood. Tucked behind a 1924 Spanish bungalow and hemmed in by her own garage as well as her neighbor’s, Vasan’s yard was attractive “only to a family of skunks that used to walk across the space,” she says. She turned to landscape designer Laura Morton, and in their conversations they eventually discussed a lush oasis influenced by the home’s Spanish-style architecture, Mala’s Indian American heritage and the two women’s mutual love of travel.

“She showed me a file of imagery she’d been daydreaming about, including exotic pictures of India with elephants,” Morton says. In the end, the 16-by-32-foot patio was re-imagined as a two-level courtyard that feels far away from Los Angeles. “ Enclosed spaces instill a sense of intimacy,” Morton says, “and within that your own sense of paradise is possible.”  (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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Designer Morton, left, and homeowner Vasan sit in front of an antique Indian double-door from Rajasthan that transformed the front of Vasan’s one-car garage. The existing plumbago, jasmine and morning glory that once sprawled recklessly over a muddy, uneven driveway have been cut back. They’re now trained on framework to create a flowering wall along the property line, where a chain-link fence once stood. A new permeable floor of decomposed granite and chocolate sandstone slabs accommodate a custom tile bistro table. At night, amber and purple carnival lights crisscross the space overhead, while citrus trees, rosemary and scented pelargonium lend fragrance to the setting.  (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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Blue marbles in a succulent planter echo the colors of Mala Vasan’s new outdoor room.  (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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Morton designed two terraces: The upper garden has a raised reflecting pool that cascades toward the lower level, where built-in chaises provide abundant seating by an elevated natural gas fire pit.  (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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The lower terrace at night: The pool spills down toward the fire put, the source of the flames hidden beneath layers of crushed white glass.  (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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“Small as it is, Mala’s garden is quite detailed,” says designer Morton, pictured here. “Like a little jewel box.” Her client Mala Vasan calls it her sanctuary, an antidote to the go-go schedule of everyday life. “When I’m at such a frenetic pace, this garden seems otherworldly to me,” Vasan says. “It’s somewhere I can come to be with my friends and a loved one and just relax. The word that comes to mind for me is ‘wonderment.’ ” For a glimpse of the designer’s other work, go to Laura Morton’s website. For a look at other Southern California homes and gardens, look at our Homes of The Times gallery.  (Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times)

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