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The birth of the ranch house.

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
Well, there's sheared shrubbery and that sort of multi-branched pom-pom effect like in that pic, but most of the ones around here seem to be yews or Japanese holly. In fact I assumed that pic was yews as well, they're a similar dark green colour. Yews take almost any abuse as far as weird topiary shapes, spirals, etc. pretty forgivingly.

As far as simpler spheres, you see mostly more yews (the backbone of basic shrubbery around here for almost everyone) and azaleas, with arborvitae and American holly turned into cones and towers. New topiary and pre-trimmed spirals are often blue spruce but that doesn't seem to be Mid-C. but what you can get at Home Depot.

Junipers you see most popularly the flat groundcover types, usually blue. Often with white gravel.
 

just_me

Practically Family
Messages
723
Location
Florida
In SE Florida, all houses are built on slabs and most are CBS construction. No basements, no wood frame.
 

Lincsong

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,907
Location
Shining City on a Hill
Out here slabs are more common with new construction because the local government agencies think that if there's an earthquake the house won't fall off of the foundation like on raised foundations, they prefer that for "safety" while the contractors like it because it's cheaper. Back in the 1970's some of the construction for slabs had the sewer pipes run through the concrete and out to the sewer. Well, what happened to some houses was that the pipes leaked and the people had to have their living room floors ripped out.:eek: I've watched some of the new developments and what they do first is run the sewer pipes straight down to the sewer, then pour the cement. Of course there's less chance of having to have your floor ripped out to fix leaking pipes since the pipes go straight down to the sewer.

I've seen some slab foundation houses where there is placed a 3/4 inch raised floor to serve as an insulation space to trap the cold. Some even run heated water pipes through there to serve as radiant heat.

Another landscaping that I like is the Japanese Black Pine that has been minaturized. The thing with that is to make you it's prune otherwise it was end up just a tall crooked tree.
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
Lincsong said:
Viola, I knew I saw the house you posted. I drove right by it today.lol

I adore the picture - is it as cute in person?

I got it through googling "atomic ranch" once and saved the pic.

I'm definitely looking at getting a one-story house in the next couple years, and I'm musing on what decade I like best. My guy would probably prefer a quieter, earlier-decade look. Is there a Deco-ranch style? :)
 

PistolPete1969

One of the Regulars
Messages
185
Location
Wilds of Southern Ohio
I grew up in a ranch house in Mesa, Arizona (suburb of Phoenix). These were tract homes in a planned subdivision, but that was not uncommon in the Southwest.

I adore older homes. I truly appreciate Victorian homes and Craftsmen homes, but will always maintain a soft-spot for ranch homes. To me they represent the post WWII boom and the emphasis on the "nuclear" family and the Great American dream.

Just my 2 cents


Pete
 

Lincsong

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,907
Location
Shining City on a Hill
Viola said:
I adore the picture - is it as cute in person?

I got it through googling "atomic ranch" once and saved the pic.

I'm definitely looking at getting a one-story house in the next couple years, and I'm musing on what decade I like best. My guy would probably prefer a quieter, earlier-decade look. Is there a Deco-ranch style? :)

It's a cute little house. It looks exactly just like the picture. And guess what???? It was actually sunny yesterday when I saw it. lol The house on the left in the picture is not that battleship gray, it's a beige color. I saw the junipers and and the one next to the garage and I knew that was the house. It's a cute neighborhood. Some homes have gotten a little ratty, some are regular, and some are like the one in the picture.
 

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