The little La Mesa street where kindergarten teacher Nick Noinov and his family live is filled with lovely front yards, but only his is the 2022 Helix Water District’s WaterSmart Landscape contest winner—and you can understand why when you take in the lush array of succulents he planted over the past 20-plus years. You can check out this colorful and texturally intriguing landscape, punctuated with Melaleuca and Caribbean copper trees, plus three plant-filled wheelbarrows in my new story on these local competitions in The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Home & Garden section. And take in his useful tips!