Pardee nets SNWA landscape award

The desert demonstration garden at Pardee Homes' Vista Verde captured first-place honors in a landscaping competition sponsored by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The builder won in the multifamily design category.

Doug Bennett, conservation manager for the agency, cited the creative use of desert plant material to set the overall theme and look of the model park at the northwestern valley community.

He presented the award to Pardee Homes and Larson & Associates Landscape Architecture, which has worked with the builder in Las Vegas and Southern California for several years.

Vista Verde opened in May 2003 and was the first new community to showcase the builder's commitment to drought-tolerant landscaping, according to Greg Ray, vice president of landscape architecture.

"Because of the serious water shortage in Southern Nevada, our company chose to be proactive in displaying the beauty of a responsible environment," he said, pointing out that while desert-friendly landscaping can cost as much as 50 percent more to install, the cost can be recovered over time through water savings and less maintenance.

Pardee has also installed a desert demonstration garden at the new model park at Nevada Trails in southwest Las Vegas.

"The model parks at Vista Verde and Nevada Trails provide a great source of ideas for our home buyers, many of whom are choosing to incorporate water-efficient landscaping into their new homes," Ray said.

Representatives of both Pardee and Larson toured the water authority's desert demonstration gardens on Alta Drive, just east of Valley View Boulevard, in Las Vegas before completing the landscape designs for the model parks. Ray said they were impressed by the beauty of informal Xeriscape, or water-efficient, layouts compared with traditional, or water-thirsty, layouts.

"We discovered four elements that make a pleasing Xeriscape environment: a canopy of trees, various plant textures and colors, grade differentiation and differing textures of rock and cobble," he said.

Glenn Contreras, the Larson office principal who designed the builder's gardens, said the plants are identified for visitors, and "show Pardee's commitment to further educate the public in the use of plant material and water conservation."

Ron Reitz, landscape coordinator for Pardee in Southern Nevada, said the builder is researching ways to use reclaimed water at its neighborhoods.

"We are committed to being smart with landscaping and water use," he said.

Water conservation is one of many features in the builder's LivingSmart program, which is showcased at both Vista Verde and Nevada Trails. Additional features include solar electricity, fluorescent lighting, tankless water heaters, low VOC paint and central vacuum systems.

All of the builder's new homes feature the Energy Star/ComfortWise package, and are independently certified to be at least 30 percent more energy efficient than federal standards require.

To visit Vista Verde, take U.S. Highway 95 north to Durango Drive and turn left. Go to Oso Blanca Road, turn right, proceed to Severance Lane and turn left.

To reach Nevada Trails, take Interstate 215 to Rainbow Boulevard, go one mile south to Robindale Road and turn right.

Both model parks are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Monday, when they open at 11 a.m.

Pardee has built nearly 30,000 homes in Southern Nevada since 1952.

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