At less than half the width of a tennis court, and a third the cost, bocce has spread quickly in America's better backyards in the past decade. Why? Perhaps because the bocce court delivers a lot of European-style elegance for the buck.

The serene surface provides a natural, and neutral, ground to frame with plantings, and putting benches at either end not only provide a convenient rooting section but also allow the bocce area to double as a contemplation garden.