There are areas where it is difficult to grow certain types of plants due to different weather conditions. While some areas have periodic drought conditions, Las Vegas is actually a full-on desert. The community grew as a stopover for people traveling to California from the east coast, who needed a reprieve from the long distances through the desolate desert where nothing is able to grow and temperatures easily reach into the hundreds. The climate makes it not only difficult but actually impossible to grow most types of plants due to a severe lack of rainfall, but over time we have developed not only a water source with Lake Mead but also the ability to provide artificial water to our landscaping, thus allowing us to live in a state of suspended reality as long as we are able to continually provide artificial water supplies to our plants. If the water is shut off for even a few days they will generally die in the desert heat. but as long as we are able to provide the water the plants can thrive. The issues come when drought conditions threaten our water reserves and there may not be enough for humans, forcing watering restrictions to be imposed and making it so that you are not allowed to water grass enough to keep it healthy. Drought times are the times when we are forced to realize that we live in a desert, and it is better if we try to live in a more natural way instead of remaking the landscape in a way that we want it to look. Once this realization comes after replacing plants that have been killed by lack of water only to have it happen again the next year, many people make the decision to actually install artificial turf. This synthetic product allows you to simulate the look and feel of real grass even without water.
People who live in the desert but want the look of grass only have a few options, one is to continually replace damaged grass every year and the other is to install artificial turf. This plastic product was originally used for the Houston Astros outfield, because their domed stadium would not allow them to grow grass without natural sunlight. Over the years the product has grown and evolved into the look of real grass instead of a carpet, and thanks to improvements in the installation process it now feels like real grass as well. This is achieved through the installation of an underfill material and a weed barrier, as well as adding fuller elements to the top of the turf which allows the blades to stand more upright. These additions create a spongy feel that will simulate grass well in addition to allowing for better drainage. These types of surfaces are far more appropriate for pets and children to play on than hard surfaces like concrete or crushed rock, making your desert yard and oasis in the desert even if it doesn’t have the water that would be necessary to grow grass!