Retro plants and planting styles – 1950s

In the 1950′s the world was recovering from the stress of World War 2. It was an optimistic time of modernism, giving birth to a style of architecture which has remained a huge influence on house design to this day.

New and flashy was all the rage and this extended to gardens and plants. Less popular was the fussy labour-intensive landscapes of the pre-war period. It was the birth of new and exciting garden ideas like patios, swimming pools in residential backyards, entertaining al fresco and cooking on built-in bbq’s.

Low maintenance plants like Ficus, Schefflera, Philodendron, Sansievera, Monstera and Fox tail fern as well as palms like Raphis were all becoming very popular with the fashionable set. And we weren’t just using these plants in the garden, we were taking them beyond the outdoor patio and bringing them inside! When it comes to fashion things tend to go full circle and the plants of the 50′s are enjoying a resurgence in popularity right now.