Front versus Backyards

Casual acquaintances, who know I write garden columns, will often make a comment like, "Wow, I bet you really have a nice garden." Well, truthfully, speaking, the answer is yes and no.

I readily admit that my front yard is planted mostly for the neighbors and passersby. It's filled with annual bedding plants year-round, with flowers being replaced at least three times a year. It could be the middle of winter, but pansies, violas, cyclamen and more are going to be in full bloom. This time of year, you'll find summer annuals like impatiens and petunias competing for space against nicotiana, salvia and torenia.

I always like to plant some of the so-called "minor" flowers in my garden. While impatiens and petunias are all well and good, it's the lesser-known flowers that usually attract the most attention and questions.

Salvia splendens, for instance, is known mostly for its bright red color. However, there are some really unique salvia colors, such as burgundy, deep purple and bicolors like rose, salmon and scarlet. Nicotiana is commonly referred to as "tobacco flower," and are more tall than wide. They bloom from 8 inches to 3 feet in height, with colors that include white, red and pink. They also have the ability to offer a sweet fragrance only at night! Torenia, also known as "wishbone flower," appear like miniature gloxinias. They compact plants bloom in bicolors like blue and white or pink and white.

Any garden will look better and feature a focal point if you plant flowers. Any summer annual will do, but again you'll draw more attention to your garden if you lean toward not-so-common varieties. You don't have to plant dozens of bedding plants either. Plant in clumps and draw attention to certain focal points of the garden.

Now, as for my backyard, I readily admit that my backyard is planted for myself. This translates to mounds of decomposting organic compost, an area for fresh mushroom compost, numerous plants in flats or 4-inch pots, roses in 5-gallon cans, experimental plants, works in progress, etc.

A gardening friend once told me that she would like to be a meter reader for one day. "Then, I would be free to walk the yards everywhere without fear of being sued for trespassing. I imagine I would end that day with some real tales to tell."

She went on to say, "The front yard says, 'I want to be seen as someone who has really got it together.' The backyard is more private. It speaks of a free spirit, who is resourceful in recognizing the beauty of the flowers brought gratis by the birds, but not really very concerned with appearances and/or upkeep."

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