Although maintaining a natural grass lawn takes a bit of time and effort, it sure is a bang for the buck. Natural lawns are much cheaper per sq.ft when it comes to installation compared to artificial lawns. They may take time to grow and look lush green but if given the care it needs, they can last a lifetime. Artificial lawns deplete the ground of its ability to support any plant life during installation. This makes it impossible to switch back to natural lawns later. Artificial turf may degrade over time and the harmful chemicals present would ruin the ground water. Natural grass lawns keep the environment fresh with a great supply of oxygen and has a cooling effect on the house it surrounds. Artificial grass lawns heat up very badly and even is rougher than natural grass lawns. Type of soil is a factor as in very hot and desert conditions, you are more likely to go for artificial lawns.
A beautiful garden with a variety of plants and flowers may be your dream but be sure not to plant sunflowers. Sunflowers are allelopathic species with seeds that release toxins into the ground that kill of neighboring plants.