Shrubs and trees enclose your patio, terrace or deck like walls separate your living room from the rest of the house. Graceful, narrow-leaved or broad-leaved evergreen trees and shrubs control light, heat and wind, acting as sound and vision barriers for your outdoor area. You might consider evergreens such as spruce, fir, arborvitae, hemlock, pine, yew and holly.

Evergreens add to the general landscape, serve as screens between you and your neighbor and block out unsightly views. Your spring and summer flowers sparkle all the more when silhouetted against a background of green foliage.

In fact, you can make a much more pleasing area if you will plan a color scheme with the annual and perennial flowers. For example, you could try mixing yellow with orange with rust, or pink with rose with red and white.

The outdoor living area without plants would be like a house without accessories. Borders of flowers and evergreens around the patio or living area can be beautiful, if well-planned. If you have a deck or a built-up patio, potted plants are a way of bringing the outdoors closer to your living area.

Some fruit trees are as ornamental as flowers, so consider these as alternatives to enriching your outside environment. You'll have fruit to eat, as well.

Water can add a great deal to the atmosphere of a patio or garden area, particularly in a retreat or quiet, tranquil, resting area. Quiet pools, fountains, cascades and streams are a source of pleasure. Water features have become very popular.

There are many how-to books and supplies available to choose the best for you. In years past, these water features were very expensive and difficult to install and maintain, that isn't so today.

Curt Peterson, Ph.D. is a landscape designer and garden specialist from Union Springs. He can be reached at curt.peters@hotmail.com