Las Vegas is a desert, and grass does not grow naturally in the desert. For grass to effectively grow it needs copious amounts of water and temperate weather that does not get so hot that it dries out. Grass can actually withstand the colder temperatures in Las Vegas very easily, as it rarely goes below freezing, and even when it does it doesn’t stay there for very long. The issues in Las Vegas with landscaping come as a result of the heat. For many years we have had access to artificial watering systems that can provide water to plants even though they are not receiving adequate water naturally, and as a result the landscape that many residents have become used to is actually quite different than the natural one. If you want to see what Las Vegas really looks like, simply drive out beyond the city limits and make notes of the sand and rocks, and plants that are short and low to the ground. This is a desert adaptation that allows them to survive, and no matter where you look around you are probably not going to find any of the delicate flowers, plants and trees that most people have as their landscaping. You are definitely not going to find lush carpets of grass, due to the fact that grass is one of the most water-hungry plants that there is. In Las Vegas, more than 55 gallons of water is required every year just to keep a single square foot of grass alove and healthy. That number goes up if the summer is especially hot.
Most home owners in the Las Vegas area have long since switched over to desert landscaping or xeriscaping, if not for the water conservation reasons then simply because they were sick and tired of fighting the losing battle trying to keep a lawn alive. There is almost no point in growing grass here, aside from the inability to imagine landscaping without grass. For these people, the suggestion is artificial turf and synthetic plants, which require no water in order to look good. If you are intent on remaking your space in a way that is completely outside of the scope of the natural elements, why not install synthetic grass as well. The artificial turf will require no maintenance, and ultimately will provide a wonderful ground covering for pets and children to play on, due to the fact that professional installations are soft and cushioned by an underfill material that is installed first. If done correctly, your artificial grass should look every bit as good as real grass, while needing not a single drop of water to maintain that look. You can then spend your weekends enjoying your lawn instead of fighting with it trying to keep it alive in a completely un-natural climate. Just because you are used to looking at the grass that makes up lawns back east does not mean that it will be enjoyable here, and there are far better landscaping choices to be had.