Dream Yards Grow on ‘Challenge’

David and Susan Steeno couldn’t believe their luck. There, on a leafy street just a few blocks removed from a scenic mountain range, they found their dream house. Sure, the interior of the cottage-style bungalow needed work, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle.

The surrounding yard was another matter. From the curb, the scattering of gnarled shrubs, cracked and mismatched concrete and a forbidding Chinese elm made their dream house resemble the House of Usher. “Help,” they screamed.

Fortunately, Home & Garden Television was listening, and tonight at 8 you can see what $12,500 and a nice design can do in “Landscaper’s Challenge,” now in what will be its regular weekly time slot.

The people-pleasing make-over format, already used by HGTV in its “Designer’s Challenge” series geared to interiors, has been turned inside-out to take care of forlorn yardscapes everywhere. Homeowners set a budget and devise a wish list of features, then three design contractors are marched in one at a time to make their pitch. The homeowners then select a plan, and work is started. Afterward, viewers are treated to the finished product.

Tonight, the Steenos admit they went a bit over budget in achieving their goals, but dreams don’t come cheaply, even on HGTV.