Talking about backyards provides something of a lightning rod for a set of broader discussions about the sorts of cities and suburbs we want in the future. Backyards are important components of urban environments, both materially and conceptually. The creation of new backyards contributes to land clearing, increased runoff, quarrying for various garden materials, and provides places for animals that in other contexts would be considered feral. On the other hand, backyards provide opportunities for revegetation, recycling, subsistence agriculture and young children’s engagement with the outdoor world. They are the place with which most Australians have their most intimate, and arguably affectionate, interactions with the outdoor environment. Here we draw on examples from our wider study of Australian backyards to inform debate on three themes:

• urban consolidation vs urban expansion

• the ecologies of urban areas

• the importance of ethnographic and qualitative research methods in studying human/environment interactions in urban areas.