Though often overlooked, a properly maintained lawn is one of the best aspects of owning a home. The ability to walk onto your own patch of land and enjoy a lush, healthy landscape can be an incredibly therapeutic experience, helping to melt away the stresses that naturally pop up in our lives. Likewise, a sparse, dirt laden lawn can feel like stepping into a prison, and in Central Texas it can be very difficult to keep grass alive and flourishing.

My name's Sam, and when I graduated from college two years ago, I was thrilled with the idea of home ownership. I had spent four years crammed into dorms and apartments and I wanted more space, but the main thing I had missed after moving from home was my parent's lawn. I was flooded with memories of birthday parties and outdoor grilling. I wanted to capture a little bit of that magic for myself, and I wanted to be able to share those experiences with my friends, family and future children.

After a while, I was elated to find out that I could afford a house., though I came to the conclusion that none of the houses in my price range had the yard that I desired. Some of the nicer houses had stunning yards, but they were far outside of my budget. Even if I could have afforded them, I had observed a number of lawn care professionals maintaining these beautiful lawns, and I had not anticipated that cost. I decided that, with a bit of work, I might be able to sculpt a lawn that would bring me pride. I settled on a house with a fairly small backyard, thinking that if the yard was smaller, I might have an easier time maintaining it properly. The lawn was mostly dirt with small, sparse patches of weeds jutting out of the ground. To say the least, it wasn't inviting, and I couldn't imagine my friends, let alone my future children, wanting to spend any time there.

After months of hard work and countless dollars spent on water and fertilizer, I had barely grown any grass, and the grass that had appeared was dry and nearly dead. I decided that my lawn was destined to be a barren wasteland. Part of the problem is that I live in Central Texas, which is extremely hot and dry. Without employing the help of a team of lawn care specialists, it's very difficult to maintain a lawn. The other part of the problem is that I was having trouble balancing my new career, my social life and my off time with the increasing amount of effort my lawn was demanding.

A few weeks later, I went to a party at my friend's house. He had never been able to get his lawn looking much better than mine, despite having more money and time at his disposal, but as soon as I stepped into his backyard, I was struck with child-like wonder. Beautiful, lush green grass filled the ground. It was nothing like the dirt pile that I remembered. We greeted each other and I quickly pulled him away from the other guests, begging him to tell me his grass growing secret. He whispered, "It's fake."

After the party, my friend explained the details of his artificial lawn. He said that it only needed to be watered occasionally, and that you don't even have to dry it. I told him that I had heard of artificial lawns, but since I could barely afford the cost of maintaining an organic lawn, I figured I could never afford it. He told me that an artificial yard is actually more cost efficient in the long run. After doing some research, I discovered he was telling the truth. I also found out that the tools used to maintain an organic yard pump untold amounts of chemicals into the atmosphere, whereas an artificial yard doesn't require nearly as much upkeep or pollution.

A few weeks later, my artificial lawn was installed. The specialists removed my wimpy, brown grass blades and poured sand to create a foundation that would prevent unwanted growth. They installed the artificial lawn and they were done, simple as that. With the exception of occasional watering, I don't have to lift a finger or pay a penny, not to mention harm the environment, to have a lawn I'm proud of. I've made plenty of memories with my friends and loved ones, and my backyard has become a popular spot for family birthdays and celebrations. I transformed my prison into a paradise, and I couldn't be happier.

Artificial grass isn't catching on in just the United States -- it is a worldwide phenomenon. According to The Telegraph, fake products are becoming popular in all sorts of verticals. Other verticals include the flower market for special occasions. In the UK, fake flowers are becoming a common gift on such holidays as Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. In just the past year, one individual flower seller claims that his sales of fake flowers have increased by 71 percent.

Reasons for the increased sales of artificial flowers is that they are hypoallergenic, and also that the technologies have simply taken a quantum leap in the past few years. Gone are the silk flowers, and in are the new plastic versions which can be cleaned with water without damage.

Naturally, artificial grass is becoming mainstream as well. More and still more UK homeowners are converting their hard-to-maintain, filled-with-dead-grass lawns with maintenance-free artificial grass products. Besides, a common after effect of installing the artificial grass in their yards is the desire to bring others into the artificial grass fold! Apparently, once they install artificial grass in their yards, they tend to make an effort in convincing their friends and neighbors to convert their yards, too. Once you discover something good, you want to share it with the world!

Companies that manufacture or install artificial lawns are experiencing a boom in business, due to the drought-like conditions and watering restrictions in many North Texas cities.

But the synthetic lawns today aren't the same plastic AstroTurf made popular in the 1970s. The products on the market now, are not just used for putting greens and football fields either.

Tim Dvorak, owner of the company Synthetic Grass Pro, and gets calls every day from homeowners inquiring about artificial grass.

"I discussed this with many turf manufacturers, that's a big thing they notice. As soon as there are drought restrictions, watering restrictions, or an ordinance like the City of Dallas two-days a week restriction, it really just makes this industry explode," said Dvorak.

Today's synthetic lawns are made to stay cool underfoot, drain water well, and last for 10-15 years. The products come in different shades of green, different textures, and mimic different varieties of natural grass. Choosing artificial can be expensive upfront: prices range from $7.50 to $15 a square foot.

Many homeowners with artificial grass installed in their yards feel that the investment was worth it.

"The initial cost is expensive, but it's already paid for itself over the four years. Not having to re-sod it, not having to water. The yard guys[come less often]. So it's more than paid for itself," said Dvorak.

Many homeowners can be skeptical at the beginning, until they see the fake grass first-hand. 

Not all cities in North Texas are on board with artificial grass, though.

Frisco does not allow artificial turf at this time, and many homeowners' associations have rules.

Highland Park passed an ordinance restricting artificial turf to back yards.

Other cities, however, have no rules in place limiting synthetic grass. Those cities include Dallas, Arlington, Denton, and University Park.

Don't you wish that any small investment always yielded a massive return? Well, choosing synthetic turf can turn your small investment into a positive for our planet and put some cash in your pocket.  One of the biggest advantages of being a home owner is that when you decide to sell your home, you have the opportunity to improve your chances of selling by doing certain things to develop your property's "Curb Appeal"! Increasing your "Curb Appeal" could make your resale skyrocket!!. The replacement of spotted landscapes, the careful placement of artificial turf grass, and the overall, well thought out, landscaping of the property surrounding your home can significantly enhance the "curb appeal." The increase of "curb appeal" will result in an increase in the resale value of your home.

Life is amazing. Why can't we transform something we pass by into something outstanding? There is nothing makes us more happy than eyes of our customers lighten up! Sometimes a changed look of your landscape can brighten up your day. Happy customers - that's what it is all about!