Southerners are just as enamored with backyard living as the rest of the country seems to be perhaps even more so, when you consider that we spend more on lawn and garden products than any other region of the United States. And we're investing more each year it sems. According to the National Gardening Association, in 1997 alone, we spent $9.3 billion on our home landscapes, 37 percent more than we did just five years earlier.

These figures demonstrate the importance we place on transforming our yards into an inviting fresh-air stage for entertaining, playing, and just plain relaxing. And they foreshadow the excitement that will be generated by this year's Atlanta Garden & Patio Show, which runs Jan. 28-31 at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

"There's no question that outdoor living has become a top prioity for Atlanta-area homeowners over the last decade," noted Lindsey Miller, show director for SEMCO Productions, Inc., producer of the event. "Last year alone, we welcomed well over 30,000 of these homeowners at the Atlanta Garden & Patio Show, and we're expecting even more this year."

Among the show's most popular attractions is Garden Alley, a living display of eight magnificent gardens created by some of metro-Atlanta's leading landscape-design firms.

"Although anyone visiting the show can appreciate their beauty, active gardenrs find them particularly fascinating," Miller said. "Whether they're looking for new ways to add color to a shady spot or are thinking about adding architectural elements like fountains, arbors or statuary to the landscape, a stroll through Garden Alley is always inspirational."

The show's nearly 250 exhibitors can also provide do-it-yourself exterior designers with a wealth of ideas, she added.

"Visitors will find tens of thousands of products in one convenient spot everything from plants, bulbs and garden tools to lawn ornamnets, grills and outdoor furniture, with many items available at special show prices. They'll have the chance to compare the credentials of a wide variety of service providers, from builders of decks, swimming pools and sunrooms to landscape contractors and tree-care specialists."

That's just the start, she said. Visitors will also be able to attend free seminars on everything from constructing decks, paving walks, and driveways to spring lawn care, water gardening and Feng Shui in the garden.

Children can also learn a great deal at the show, Miller said, thanks to such efforts as the Fernbank Science Center and Georgia Wildlife Federation. "As host of our Wild about Georgia Nature Stage, their representatives will provide visitors of all ages with hands-on lessons on subjects from protecting our environment to turning even an ordinary backyard into a wildlife sanctuary."

Admission to the Fifth Annual Atlanta Garden & Patio Show is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $2 for children from 7-12, with special discount rates available for adult groups of 20 or more. Children under 7 and card-carrying members of the American Horticultural Society will be admitted at no charge. For details, call 770-998-9800 or the 24-hour information line at 770-849-5555 or visit www.gardenandpatio.com.