Comments on: that’s sooooo 1970s http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:51:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: out of doors http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2282 out of doors Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:50:04 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2282 what about 50's-style L.A. glamour? bird of paradise, bougainvillea, and bergenia; or cup-of-gold vine and pepper trees for spanish-style houses. and i think cordyline can be pretty 70's-alicious, especially planted by funky cinderblock apartment houses. what about 50’s-style L.A. glamour? bird of paradise, bougainvillea, and bergenia; or cup-of-gold vine and pepper trees for spanish-style houses. and i think cordyline can be pretty 70’s-alicious, especially planted by funky cinderblock apartment houses.

]]> By: lostlandscape http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2270 lostlandscape Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:16:47 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2270 Steve, I think you've nailed it as to this being largely a nursery-driven phenomenon. And now that many people are getting more of their plants from big box stores, I can see the diversity shrinking even further. Rhodies are one plant that won't ever look dated here in Southern California. Anyone who can pull it off, even with the low-chill varieties, has something unusual. Philip, I agree that many of these plantings have a distinct look, and it's something people need to consider in relation to their house. Do people want to emphasize a "period" look for their home or not? I saw a movie last night which was supposed to take place in the 1950s, but all the plants were too modern and wrong. Of course, if a film crew came to my house to try to capture the 1950s, I'd be perturbed if they were to take out all my modern plants! Steve, I think you’ve nailed it as to this being largely a nursery-driven phenomenon. And now that many people are getting more of their plants from big box stores, I can see the diversity shrinking even further. Rhodies are one plant that won’t ever look dated here in Southern California. Anyone who can pull it off, even with the low-chill varieties, has something unusual.

Philip, I agree that many of these plantings have a distinct look, and it’s something people need to consider in relation to their house. Do people want to emphasize a “period” look for their home or not? I saw a movie last night which was supposed to take place in the 1950s, but all the plants were too modern and wrong. Of course, if a film crew came to my house to try to capture the 1950s, I’d be perturbed if they were to take out all my modern plants!

]]> By: Philip http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2266 Philip Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:10:03 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2266 What a thought provoking post :Botanical time capsules. That is so insightful. It is interesting to see neighborhoods which have been untouched. 1930's neighborhoods of mock Spanish and Tudor bungalows have lawn and shrubs very highly clipped. There are Plants clipped in the Japanese manner with clound of greenery on branches. This is effective where it snows, but decorative only in California. I used to think this was very old fashioned, but now when this is maintained it does have a look: concrete painted red, striped awnings in brown, red and cream. I thought your list was brilliant and lots of fun. Ok, when I am traveling about my eyes are opened. I enjoyed this post! Regards, Philip What a thought provoking post :Botanical time capsules. That is so insightful. It is interesting to see neighborhoods which have been untouched. 1930’s neighborhoods of mock Spanish and Tudor bungalows have lawn and shrubs very highly clipped. There are Plants clipped in the Japanese manner with clound of greenery on branches. This is effective where it snows, but decorative only in California. I used to think this was very old fashioned, but now when this is maintained it does have a look: concrete painted red, striped awnings in brown, red and cream.
I thought your list was brilliant and lots of fun. Ok, when I am traveling about my eyes are opened.
I enjoyed this post!
Regards,
Philip

]]> By: Steve http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2261 Steve Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:42:46 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2261 My brother always called California's Oleanders, so ubiquitously planted on freeway boulevards, "Smog Eaters", lol. In the Northwest, there was your standard average Photinia craze for a while, dating from the mid-'70's. Prior to that, it was Rhododendron time - of course, much of that is still maintained owing to Vancouver (for example) and its utterly benign rhodie climate. But junipers have had their comings and goings, fashionably speaking, leading to what any more are the lower and slower-growing varieties and the bluer color possibilites. neat post and lots of fun. I have also considered the dating of species as popular. I do know that nurseries had an awful lot to do with the popularity of plantings, too. They would buy thousands of something and announce the species had suddenly morphed into this season's must-have! My brother always called California’s Oleanders, so ubiquitously planted on freeway boulevards, “Smog Eaters”, lol. In the Northwest, there was your standard average Photinia craze for a while, dating from the mid-’70’s. Prior to that, it was Rhododendron time — of course, much of that is still maintained owing to Vancouver (for example) and its utterly benign rhodie climate. But junipers have had their comings and goings, fashionably speaking, leading to what any more are the lower and slower-growing varieties and the bluer color possibilites.

neat post and lots of fun. I have also considered the dating of species as popular. I do know that nurseries had an awful lot to do with the popularity of plantings, too. They would buy thousands of something and announce the species had suddenly morphed into this season’s must-have!

]]> By: lostlandscape http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2258 lostlandscape Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:31:17 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2258 Thanks, Jean. I guess my area is a little behind the times in getting lots of loropetalums, though we've definitely been hit by waves of lantanas. The loropetalums actually don't sseem to do so well here as they do in the South, but the lantanas are pretty well adapted and indestructible... Thanks, Jean. I guess my area is a little behind the times in getting lots of loropetalums, though we’ve definitely been hit by waves of lantanas. The loropetalums actually don’t sseem to do so well here as they do in the South, but the lantanas are pretty well adapted and indestructible…

]]> By: Jean http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2255 Jean Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:55:54 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2255 1980's - those small little bedding begonias. 1990's - lorapetalums, tons of them planted by contractors in Austin. And lantanas. 2000's - ornamental grasses everywhere. And crape myrtles (not just in the south). And for several decades - photinias, argh! Oh and asiatic jasmine as a ground cover. Great post. :-) 1980’s — those small little bedding begonias.
1990’s — lorapetalums, tons of them planted by contractors in Austin. And lantanas.
2000’s — ornamental grasses everywhere. And crape myrtles (not just in the south).
And for several decades — photinias, argh! Oh and asiatic jasmine as a ground cover.

Great post. :-)

]]> By: lostlandscape http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2252 lostlandscape Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:50:29 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2252 Jan--It's so common to see plants planted too closely together or too close to a house, isn't it? I guess we're all a little impatient to see plants reach their eventual size. Greg--Why am I not surprised you want a twisted juniper? Cool, aren't they? They used to sell them everywhere around here, and now it's really tought to find any--I guess that's the down-side of a plant not being so popular anymore. Jan–It’s so common to see plants planted too closely together or too close to a house, isn’t it? I guess we’re all a little impatient to see plants reach their eventual size.

Greg–Why am I not surprised you want a twisted juniper? Cool, aren’t they? They used to sell them everywhere around here, and now it’s really tought to find any–I guess that’s the down-side of a plant not being so popular anymore.

]]> By: Greg http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2250 Greg Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:59:22 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2250 This really is a pretty fascinating subject. I'll be paying attention with fresh eyes on the subject now. And I <i>totally</i> need a twisted juniper or two! This really is a pretty fascinating subject. I’ll be paying attention with fresh eyes on the subject now.

And I totally need a twisted juniper or two!

]]> By: Greenfingers http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2245 Greenfingers Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:38:35 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2245 That is a great timeline! It really expresses the real situation of the nature and I'm on with it. Looks cool with the pictures and I appreciate that you've posted it. Thanks for sharing and I hope you could provide more pics in the future. God Bless! That is a great timeline! It really expresses the real situation of the nature and I’m on with it. Looks cool with the pictures and I appreciate that you’ve posted it. Thanks for sharing and I hope you could provide more pics in the future. God Bless!

]]> By: Jan http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2009/02/19/thats-sooooo-1970s/comment-page-1/#comment-2244 Jan Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:35:01 +0000 http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/?p=3632#comment-2244 This was an interesting post. I am really bothered by the overgrown plants from decades ago. I live in an older neighborhood, and would love to tell people to cut back or take out those huge plants next to their houses. Jan Always Growing This was an interesting post. I am really bothered by the overgrown plants from decades ago. I live in an older neighborhood, and would love to tell people to cut back or take out those huge plants next to their houses.

Jan
Always Growing

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