Western garden design awards: 15 winners offer a host of fresh landscaping ideas

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DESIGN: Allworth Nussbaum, Seattle (www.allworthnussbaum.com or 206/623-7396)

REGIONAL

Desert oasis

Paradise Valley, AZ. Old homes are often bulldozed to make way for large estates. But Andrea and Thomas Kotoske chose a more modest approach for their remodel so they could devote plenty of real estate to outdoor living.

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Several of the house's walls slide open to fan-cooled terraces. Brightly colored walls and contemporary water features are bold backdrops for desert plants. Large palo verde trees shade the roof and interior rooms, reducing air-conditioning needs. "A masterful juxtaposition of architecture and plants," said a juror.

DESIGN: Steve Martino & Associates, Phoenix (www.stevemartino.net or 602/957-6150)

SMALL SPACE

Tranquil enclosure

Napa, CA. Quiet and graceful, William Snowden's elegant garden in the Napa Valley is actually a central courtyard almost entirely enclosed by house walls.

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Before the remodel, the area was paved in concrete and almost devoid of plants. The new planting is simple: two 'Bloodgood' Japanese maples with a stand of timber bamboo between them. Bright green baby's tears, blue star creeper, and creeping thyme grow below them. Dwarf mondo grass edges paths made from bluestone and black Mexican beach pebbles.

DESIGN: William R. Snowden Landscape Design, Napa, CA (www.williamsnowden.com or 707/259-1133)

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