What are ornamental grasses?

The grass family, or Gramineae, is one of the largest among all plants, comprised of more than 10,000 species. Cereal varieties, such as corn, barley and oats, make up essential parts of our diets. But grass probably doesn't pop into your mind when you're thinking about food. Most likely, grass conjures up images of pristine lawns of Bermuda or Kentucky bluegrass with perfectly edged borders. Or maybe you recall the backbreaking labor of mowing, weeding and fertilizing those plots during the steamy summer months. Whatever the case, we certainly pour a lot of energy and money into maintaining healthy, green yards. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans spend between $400 and $700 per year on lawn care alone. That expense includes the heavy watering often required, as well as the 70 million pounds (31 million kilograms) of <a href="http://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professional-landscaping/basics/using-pesticides-in-landscaping.htm%20">pesticides</a> ...  more