‘Community’ garden: Jim Rash at home

By Lisa Boone
Jim Rash kicks back in the frontyard of his West L.A. house, where the new plant palette includes low-water agave, echeveria and a vibrant orange ice plant that serves as ground cover -- a virtually no-maintenance landscape for a man in demand.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

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When Jim Rash isn’t acting on “Community,” referencing Angelina Jolie’s thigh at the Academy Awards or writing a film script for fellow Groundlings alum Kristen Wiig, you just may find him kicking back in his garden, newly remade by Santa Monica landscape architect Dale Newman.

Landscape architect Dale Newman started in the front with a nod to Rash's boisterous side. A redwood-framed garden gate and fence are made with orange plexiglass from Solter Plastics. "They are really interesting, and you can see through them," Newman said of the panels, whose color was chosen to offset the gunmetal gray exterior of the house. "It gives the frontyard a crazy glow. In the daytime, the sun shines through them and gives an unusual cast over the plants."

Landscape architect Dale Newman started in the front with a nod to Rash’s boisterous side. A redwood-framed garden gate and fence are made with orange plexiglass from Solter Plastics. “They are really interesting, and you can see through them,” Newman said of the panels, whose color was chosen to offset the gunmetal gray exterior of the house. “It gives the frontyard a crazy glow. In the daytime, the sun shines through them and gives an unusual cast over the plants.”  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Where a meager lawn once stood, Newman installed saw-cut colored concrete pavers, expanding Rash's living area beyond the 1,100-square-foot house. "The gardens make the living spaces feel so much larger," Rash said.

Where a meager lawn once stood, Newman installed saw-cut colored concrete pavers, expanding Rash’s living area beyond the 1,100-square-foot house. “The gardens make the living spaces feel so much larger,” Rash said.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The color of the garden gate and front ground cover is echoed in the mailbox from Modern Mailboxes.

The color of the garden gate and front ground cover is echoed in the mailbox from Modern Mailboxes.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The green and purple of an aeonium rosette. The purple also appears in smoke bush used as a hedge.

The green and purple of an aeonium rosette. The purple also appears in smoke bush used as a hedge.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

A bee buzzes the yellow flowers of Aeonium arboretum in the frontyard.

A bee buzzes the yellow flowers of Aeonium arboretum in the frontyard.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

More orange and yellow in the form of pincushion flowers, which can provide long-lasting color as cut flowers too.

More orange and yellow in the form of pincushion flowers, which can provide long-lasting color as cut flowers too.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

In the backyard, Newman edited and reorganized what was already there. Running black bamboo that had taken over the yard was replanted along the side yard. A fire pit was added, creating another outdoor area that can accommodate overflow guests when Rash entertains.

In the backyard, Newman edited and reorganized what was already there. Running black bamboo that had taken over the yard was replanted along the side yard. A fire pit was added, creating another outdoor area that can accommodate overflow guests when Rash entertains.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

The fern pine planted as a hedge in back will fill in over time.

The fern pine planted as a hedge in back will fill in over time.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Gazanias provide more blasts of orange in the backyard.

Gazanias provide more blasts of orange in the backyard.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

They make their point: Cordyline atropurpurea.

They make their point: Cordyline atropurpurea.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

A potted cordyline in a different hue sits on the back patio.

A potted cordyline in a different hue sits on the back patio.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Jim Rash's garden

Even a common eyesore -- the neighbor’s garage wall -- got a little irreverence. “It was screaming for something,” Newman said, so it was painted brown to help it disappear, then adorned with seven circular mirrors.  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Rash, at his front gate: "I wanted something different. I wanted a sense of enclosure but not a fence. It feels like you're enclosed when in fact it is an open space." The various elements of the new garden add up to a low-maintenance retreat for a man still fielding questions about his Angelina thigh thrust at the Oscars. Rash just smiles. "Everyone knows I was just having fun." Now the same can be said of his garden. Full article. More profiles: Southern California homes and gardens Our blog: L.A. at Home

Rash, at his front gate: “I wanted something different. I wanted a sense of enclosure but not a fence. It feels like you’re enclosed when in fact it is an open space.” The various elements of the new garden add up to a low-maintenance retreat for a man still fielding questions about his Angelina thigh thrust at the Oscars. Rash just smiles. “Everyone knows I was just having fun.” Now the same can be said of his garden. Full article.

More profiles: Southern California homes and gardens

Our blog: L.A. at Home  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)