You can usually look things up by common name, don t worry about the Latin. The library is bound to have a good book on ornamental and other plants in your area. If plants or grass are in the sun all day, they ll typically need lots of water. If they re in the shade, you don t want to drown them. Generally, grass requires a couple of good soakings every other day during the long, hot days of summer.
Plants can usually manage with one watering every other day.
Resourceful watering means keeping track of the weather and peaking your water use to coincide with the season. In the spring, things are usually getting a little more rainwater and growing like mad. Still, to keep things healthy and green, you may need to start watering as soon as temperatures begin to rise. By the time you re into summer, you should be watering at least every other day. As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler, ease off your watering plan until you re back to no watering at all.