HGTV Dream Home 2007: Alpine Landscape

From its perch on the side of a mountain, the soaring spectacle of wood and glass commands broad views of the Continental Divide, and this year's HGTV Dream Home has the decks and windows to leverage the scenery for its owners' delight.

It also has height — the house sits at about 9,000 feet elevation — to commandeer as much panorama as possible. And therein lies one of the principle challenges for landscaping the 4,300-square-foot contemporary ski chalet.

About 370 inches of snow falls on the property a year. Winter temperatures routinely sit at single digits or less in the evenings — it's not uncommon for the mercury to dip deep into negative territory, says builder Dennis Saffell. And temperatures can vary as much as 60 degrees between morning and afternoon at certain times of the year.

All of which makes landscaping the property tantalizing for gung-ho gardeners who find azaleas and roses boring.