Tag Archives: Southern California

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All You Ever Wanted To Know About Bungalows Part V

Photo by Dallas Reedy on Unsplash

In this episode of my ongoing series, All You Ever Wanted To Know About Bungalows, I thought it was time to take a look at bungalow landscaping. Just like any yard, it can be anything you want it to be. I love preservation and so nothing makes me happier than to see a yard that stays true to the period of the house and supports the authenticity of the project at hand. So what does that mean in bungalow terms? Well, to answer that question, I had to go back in time and review what people did with their yards one hundred and fifty years ago when the craftsman architecture began to emerge. What were people doing with their yards back then and did many people even have them? The answer to the latter part of the question is a resounding yes. Your garden was important during this era. This was a time when there was no accessible technology. Only scientists were accessing that world and preparing it for commercialization. Owning, designing and presenting your garden were entertainment.

Photo by Loverna Journey on Unsplash

As the Craftsman movement emerged in California, adherence to the core concepts espoused by it’s English founders John Ruskin, William Morris and Augustis Pugin created a very different style of living from the accepted mores of the time. The style represented an economic and social reform that was anti-industrial. Thus, you had homes that emphasized natural materials and a layout that promoted the health of it’s inhabitants. Artistic influence was key. Acknowledging the natural creativity of the human being and utilizing this to construct the home. Beauty with intelligence was the key concept of the Craftsman architecture. Utility and reliable construction were more important than ornamentation, because what came naturally was considered ornamentation in itself.

A traditional Craftsman landscape would include a lawn in the front and ended there.  Traditionally, lawnm did not surround the home. The majority of bungalows were small and would have a smaller lawn. Trees were important and the Roosevelt Pine with it’s drooping limbs and fan like foliage added grace and a touch of wilderness to the scene. Magnolia trees were also great for shade and beauty. There would most likely be roses in a welcoming position near the pathway to the front door or at the front porch itself. Other popular plantings were wildflowers and native plants. Lilac was a favorite tree. Cactus and bougainvillea were utilized as well. The spiritual myrtle was well loved and creeping fig too.

The backyard was more rustic and usually there was a vegetable garden filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, beans, spinach, chard and kale. Benches and birdbaths were popular. Paths lined with large natural stones were also part of the more rustic landscaping. It was all about incorporating nature and maintaining a earthy and inviting setting.

Fast forward the present. Here we are in 2018, weather patterns are changing and changing the life cycle of plants. Climate change has been recognized by brilliant scientists across the globe. The topic is controversial; it’s causes and how the human race will move into the future and live in harmony with the changes occurring. Current recommendations in Southern California are to go with drought resistant plants. These also make a welcoming and gorgeous landscape. These were already used in the past to a lesser degree, but now we are encouraged to let our lawns go to save precious water.  Utilize plants that are hardy and need small amounts of watering. Several homes in my historic neighborhood have embraced this movement and their yards look amazing. This gardening concept is slowly taking hold, but has a significant presence.

Photo by Adolfo Félix on Unsplash

The last addition to be made to a Craftsman garden is rustic lawn furniture.  Furniture made of tree canes blends well into the naturescape.  A bird fountain to attract feathered friends.  In the larger, grander properties, Koi ponds were popular.

Photo by Ashwin Vaswani on Unsplash

Craftsman culture encompasses the love of the outdoor space and it’s importance cannot be diminished. Whether it be carefully designed and executed; or left to nature, the Craftsman architecture inspires a creative and beautiful outdoor space.  Head out soon to any historic district in Southern California, especially the Inland Empire and you will find no end to the beautiful examples of classic Craftsman landscaping.

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Meaningful Green:

Magnolia trees (Magnoliaceae): Symbol of feminine strength, faith, beauty, gentleness, purity and nobility.

Myrtle (Mertus) Symbol of beauty, love, paradise, sweetness, justice, divine generosity, peace, and recovery.

Cactus (Cactaceae): warmth, protection, endurance and maternal love.

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Tropical California

I looked towards the small mounds that were California coastal mountains. The mounds were covered with brush and small trees. Heading south towards Mexico, the occasional spring would rise into the low crevices of a  canyon and create a lush almost tropical scene.  A pool of clear, fresh water nestled between the rocky faces and numerous varieties of green  plant life sprouted. Palm trees soared above; their thick fronds heavily festooned with clusters of coconut pods. This land  had been traversed for centuries by all kinds of animal and human life. It was a  luxurious and comfortable home under the sun with morning mists that crept over the mountains each morning from sea. Each day dawned clouded in sea mist  that dissipated as the sun rose and cast it’s glorious bright light over the canyons.

This region of California was the edge of the high desert. The high desert rose from the edges of the lowlands into a drier climate and endless blue skies. It was mostly scrubby and full of brush;  but the canyons were small oases of  lush vegetation and pools of water. Some of these bastions of hydration had been developed into famous hot springs where people from all over the world gather. They came, as they say;  to  take the water for rejuvenation and relaxation.




These mountains were full of history and mystery. Just above the city of Corona were old roads that wound around the hillsides and created passages into Orange County and the neighboring beaches.  The roads dated back to the pioneer days. Cabins of the first homesteaders and abandoned  mines  still existed and waited to be explored. Vintage tools could still be found buried in the dirt roads. The old roads were a local hiking favorite. There were historic homesteads and oddities; such as a wall made of over ninety antique cars to hold back flash floods. There was a hill where an  nineteenth century victorian had stood and was now rumored to be haunted. It was a  favorite Halloween pastime to head up there and try to spot the spooks and  make contact with the netherworlds. Each town along the interstate heading south had it’s story and it’s local folklore.

Most of all, there was beauty. A wild, lush, cacophony of plants, birds and animals that thrived along side civilization. The contrast of dryness and water, sometimes only inches away from each other created unique and beautiful natural environments. Everything from succulents to pine trees grew untamed and created a harmony of natural  life that could only be found in this part of the world. Cougars ranged the mountains with bears. Bluebirds flew in the vast skies with seagulls that were vacationing at inland lakes.

I decided one day to take my dogs on an outing to the local dog park next to the Corona Airport. It was situated in a park with baseball diamonds and a playground. It was the end of the day and the sun was setting. Beyond the airfield, the edge of the Prado basin rose it’s lush, green head of thick vegetation. Just behind the greenery, the dry hills of Chino created a boundary between the inland valleys and Los Angeles county. The sunset was spectacular in hues of red, orange, purple and blue. There was a small bench just at the edge of the park and perfect for viewing the show.

 




Dogs were running about enjoying the last minutes of light and the cooling breeze as darkness descended and cooled the earth. Another dog lover joined me and we had a chat about her pug as we watched the glorious sunset. As the sun descended behind the green skyline, casting it’s rays upward one last time into the purple blanket of night; the silhouettes of palmtrees took the stage. One last vision of tropical nights in Southern California.

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The Old Circle

Summer is coming and it’s the best time of year in Southern California. My favorite city was once a farming town, founded by a group of entrepreneurial bankers from the midwest. The land they purchased was an alluvial plane descending from the Santa Ana mountains. On the other side of this mountain range are the beaches. The cool fog drifts over almost every evening and then burns off with the first sunlight. When seen from the right angle at a certain time a day it looks tropical and you could swear you were driving into an island. Palm trees jut up against small green mountains with a backsplash of blue sky and puffy white clouds. The city started as a farming community that sustained itself on citrus crops. Those farms are gone now, along with the groves that released a heavenly sent every evening at sundown and blanketed the city with a heady, intoxicating perfume.
Summer is hot here. It’s all about very light clothing, no sleeves, mostly shorts and tall glasses filled with ice and sweet liquid. They call it the dog days of summer. If you are feeling particularly ambitious, it’s wise to rise early and get everything done in the coolness of the morning. As the day progresses it’s time to hit the porch and do nothing. Just like the dogs. Lay back, try to breath and don’t get overheated, because there aren’t too many ways to cool back down. Now we have indoor showers, air conditioning and refrigerators. Back then, you had to improvise. Sleeping porches were common and the family would gather on the second story to catch the night breezes and chat about the happenings of the day as they drifted off to sleep. Once you get used to the heat, it’s wonderful. The body relaxes, the skin opens and breathes. Everything and everybody slows down and it’s summer-time for vacation!




When summer hits, the main event is the fourth of July. People from all over the city head into the historic core for a good old Fourth of July parade. The local school bands and the Rotary are in full force. Candidates for city office ride by in old Thunderbirds or new souped up Mustangs with a young gorgeous pageant queens at their side. People set up small encampments with chairs, blankets, drinks and food and settle in to enjoy the good old fashioned spectacle. Laughing with friends and neighbors and feeling thankful that they landed in this place.
The city was planned with a circle at it’s center. It was meant to symbolize a crown. The crown of English royalty that invested in the small inland colonies of California and provided financial backing to make sure the farms grew and prospered. A hundred years ago famous racers and their vintage Stutz and Fiats tore around the circle to complete one hundred screaming, terrifying laps at more than 100 miles per hour. Beautiful grand farmhouses were erected along it’s borders for the more prominent business leaders and politicians. Many had carriage houses, tennis courts and later swimming pools. Now the races have a become a historic relic and many of the homes are gone. For those that remain; some are well-preserved and some not. Some are modified beyond recognition. It’s a mish mash of eclectic vintage architecture lined with dusty palms, ancient pepper and oak trees. It’s old and lovely and full of history that’s intriguing. The circle has persevered and remains a landmark to Southern Californians. It’s easily seen from the air and serves as a landmark for pilots.
Farming gave the city, it’s first purpose and history.




Over a hundred years have passed and now there are other reasons to live here. As farming phased out, development and industry took over and were a success. Some of the old orchards still remain up in the hills rising above the city. Beautiful old citrus trees stand majestic and silent with globes or orange and yellow fruit hanging enticingly from their branches. Small noises of animal life punctuate the quiet as birds fly over the canopy singing joyfully.
This is summer, this is history, this is Southern California.