Congratulations to Nicola Bond for winning the LVMWD August 2026 Greenovation Award! 

The LVMWD Greenovation Award recognizes outstanding customers who utilized LVMWD's Landscape Transformation Program to replace their thirsty lawns with beautiful water-conscious landscapes. Winners are chosen based on 4 main criteria: aesthetics, functionality, biodiversity, and water budget impact.   

Nicola looked out over her patchy front lawn, and knew the land was hiding its true potential. She felt her sloped lawn was ugly, water intensive, and took more maintenance than it was worth. She had big ideas for what her dream front yard could look like but knew it would take some hard work to achieve her vision. She searched long and hard for a contractor that had expertise with native plants and would share her commitment to the project, eventually finding Victorio & Sons Landscaping Inc.  

Their first big hurdle was the land itself, as her front yard sits on a steep slope that would push any rainfall off her land and onto the sidewalk. She also had a concrete drainage swale that ran alongside her backyard and eventually underneath her front lawn, causing problems for any planned plantings in that area. Together, they were able to work around both issues and designed a yard that used these complications to their advantage. 

Nicola worked with the terrain by choosing to install a small patio at the top of her garden, making use of the area made unplantable by buried concrete drainage, and providing a cozy top-down view of her beautiful yard. She then installed a dry rock bed near the bottom of her yard, allowing any runoff water to be collected and absorbed into her soil for more water savings. For her plants, she chose bright, colorful, and drought tolerant species that would attract pollinators throughout the year, including Iceberg Roses, Santa Barbara Sage, Red Hot Poker plants, and 12 other plant types.  

The result was a beautiful new space right outside their front door, perfect for an early morning coffee or watching the sunset. Nicola’s favorite part of the yard is her patio, which creates a new hangout spot for the family and provides a great view of all the hummingbirds, bees, and birds visiting her garden. Her water savings are significant as well, saving 15,709 gallons of water this June compared to June of 2024, before the installation. Nicola’s new yard is not only saving her water, but beautifying her neighborhood, bringing life back into the area, and creating a new space for some relaxation.  

If you are interested in turning your turf lawn into a beautiful, functional yard, then you can join our Landscape Transformation Program and find discounted designs from YourSmartYard.