dale dombrowski/viewThe landscape design at Centennial Hills resident Pam Burke’s home received the first-place award for design by a homeowner in the 2008 Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Landscape Awards competition.
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A landscape doesn't have to be a bland scape, even though we live in the desert.
That's the message behind the Southern Nevada Water Authority's Water Smart Landscape Awards. Top honors were handed out on June 12 to the residents and businesses that had turned grass lawns into aesthetically pleasing front and/or backyards.
The event was held in the banquet room of the water authority's headquarters, in the Molasky Corporate Headquarters, 100 City Parkway. The room was flanked with more than a dozen easels, each holding an enlarged photo of the finalists' work.
"I think it's so much fun to walk about and see the differences," said Cliff Clark, one of the winners. "And to think everyone started with a blank slate."
Before handing out the awards, Doug Bennett, conservation manager for the water authority, told of going along with the judges to see the finalists in the resident category. He said that the yards exceeded his expectations.
"I was stunned by what I saw," he said. "Something that won five years ago would not have stood a chance."
Beth Moore, public information coordinator at the water authority, who judged the profession category, agreed.
"There were a number of stunners," she said. "It was hard to choose which one really stood out."
Johann Feller, assistant conservations programs coordinator, who judged residences, said the competition was very tough. "You ended up having to look at the small things," he said.
The landscapes were judged on overall beauty, efficient water use, plant selection and design. Aesthetics counted for 50 percent of the score, with 25 percent for use of irrigation, 20 percent for plant selection and 5 percent for mulching use.
Doug and Bonnie Crosby turned to a landscape company to convert about 1,500 square feet of lawn into xeriscaping. They estimated that they saw a 25 percent to 35 percent reduction in their water bill.
"I was pleased, not just about the (smaller) water consumption, but all the maintenance it had involved," Doug Crosby said.
The desert plants they chose bloom at different times of the year, his wife said.
"So, it looks green all year long," she said.
The awards were etched on sandstone blocks, so large that winners joked they needed a forklift to get them home.
Centennial Hills resident Pam Burke, whose backyard took first place for residences using the do-it-yourself route, said she planned her landscape by deciding what activities her family would enjoy. Her favorite part was the grotto circle that she installed.
"It gets the early morning sun, so you can go out there and listen to the birds while you have your coffee," she said. "It's very peaceful, like a little retreat."
This year marks the 10th year since the inception of the competition. The water authority reports that more than 104 million square feet of turf have been removed since 1999, resulting in nearly 24 billion gallons of water saved.
Photos of the 2008 winning landscapes are available at www.snwa.com.
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