To the passerby, the yard is attractive, the roses out of reach. The visitor to the door, however, is greeted by roses in the yard and containers on the elevated porch. Low fences and hedges perform the same function, although we don't see many. Consider In some neighborhoods, the front yard as public area is an attraction. My neighbors use their front yard quite a bit, to watch as their two year old plays with other children up and down the block.
Time spent in the front yard can be time spent chatting with neighbors passing by.
The backyard is often considered the play or entertainment area. If the lot backs up against an alley, a big chunk of the backyard may be lost to a garage. Even a deck can become a verdant garden room with container plants. In all probability, you have two side yards, although one or both may be no more than a walkway or a driveway. In some cases, one side yard will be larger than the other, and especially in corner lots, an extension of the front yard.