YARD ART ADDS PERSONAL TOUCH

The Bridges of Cape Girardeau built their fish pond five years ago. The pond contains a variety of aquatic plants and fish, including Japanese Koi fish.

Pat Haenni's yard along Thilenius Street in Cape Girardeau has been decorated with a variety of flowers, plants and yard furniture.

Frank Tesson of Jackson created these yard ornaments in his shop at his home on West Jackson Boulevard. He sells ornaments, bird houses and other creations.

Lane and Donna McClard of 1815 Eagle Drive in Jackson sat on their front porch, which is decorated with a Fourth of July flag. Donna displays a different flag for every month of the year.

Cruise most any neighborhood and chances are more than one flag will be seen wafting in the breeze.

And it's not because homeowners forgot to fold Old Glory after the Fourth's fireworks.

Nevertheless, patriotism could have something to do with the recent surge in fluttering flags.

"It all started with the American Flag, I guess," said Donna McClard, reflecting on a move into a new home and the installation of a flag bracket on her and her husband Lane's Jackson porch some two years ago.

"I have a flag for every month but February; I can't find one for Valentine's Day that I like," she said, chuckling.

Decorative outdoor flags, or banners as they are also called, are among the latest favored trimmings for the exterior of the home.

They may be found in all kinds of designs, and even in varying shapes and sizes, explained Ralph Beck Jr., who with his family resides next door to the McClards. Banners are sold in shops ranging from grocery stores to boutiques.

"A friend in St. Louis really introduced us to it," Beck said of decorative flags. "She had some nice flags hanging when we would go and visit." In turn, the Becks were given a flag for a house-warming gift a couple of years back and Beck has made a practice of flying a decorative flag on the family's porch ever since.

Decorating the exterior of the home likely evolved from humble beginnings, from a desire to plant a bit of individualism on a plot of land. Royalty has a legacy of elaborate yard work worldwide, but more commonplace were past-their-prime farm wagons, cast-iron pots and empty barrels, each of which made dandy petunia containers long before the advent of lawn and garden centers.

Hens and chickens plants still grow profusely in cast-out-cookware on many a grandmother's back porch.

While feathered versions of the above may not be on lots of want lists these days, plenty of homeowners are interested in bringing birds and aquatic life into their yards.

"Lots of people are getting into installing the ponds and into water gardening," said Tory Gosche, outside lawn and garden department manager for Lowe's of Cape Girardeau, 3440 Lowe's Drive.

When Rodney Bridges was planning his new home, he knew he wanted a fish pond nearby. After all, the old wash tub he had put in the ground and filled with water when he was 9 had worked beautifully.

While the Bridges' water garden is made of much sturdier stuff, the enjoyment it brings remains true.

Hardy and tropical water lilies and water hyacinths are among the plants that bring striking color to the concrete-encircled waters inhabited by fancy goldfish and Japanese Koi.

The fountain in the garden has benefits beyond water aeration. The sound of the running water, along with the sight is "so relaxing in the evenings, mornings, anytime. It's just great therapy," Bridges said.

Bridges is quick to point out that enjoyment of a water garden does not depend on the number of gallons of water involved. "It doesn't have to be a big project," he said.

Most fish ponds are made from preformed plastic inserts placed in the ground, or by installing rubber liners within a prepared area, explained Bill Brinkopf of Sunny Hill Pet Center, 335 S. Christine.

"Most everybody does it themselves," he said. "The hardest part is digging the hole out of the ground."

The hobby of attracting birds to the lawn has evolved to the point that birdhouses and birdbaths are lawn attractions all on their own.

Certain plants with plenty of eye-appeal can aid in that endeavor, noted Joe Touchette of Plants Plus, 910 S. Kingshighway. For instance, he explained, butterfly bush and butterfly weed attract their namesake while monarda and trumpet vine are helpful in gaining the attention of hummingbirds.

Concrete lawn ornaments are another type of yard decoration growing in popularity, Gosche and other garden supply spokesmen noted.

Most such lawn ornaments are representations of animals, some are painted, some are a simple, smooth gray, Gosche said. "It seems like the most popular has been frogs," he chuckled.

From intricate to carefree, from courtly to humorous, yard decorations put the owners' tastes on display.

McClard enjoys decorating her home inside and out. Her flags continue the color that her flowers bring to the lawn. Likely echoing the way many homeowners would describe their favorite yard decorations, McClard said of her banners: "They're an added personal touch."