Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > General U.S.
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
View Poll Results: Residential vegetation types: Which do you like better?
WESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST 12 16.00%
DESERT 6 8.00%
MEDITERRANEAN AND WESTERN OAK PRAIRIE 4 5.33%
MIDWEST/NORTHEAST DECIDUOUS FOREST 24 32.00%
SOUTHERN MIXED FOREST 20 26.67%
(SUB)TROPICAL 9 12.00%
Voters: 75. You may not vote on this poll

Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 12-23-2017, 10:33 PM
 
Location: Kansas City, MISSOURI
20,718 posts, read 9,311,341 times
Reputation: 15453

Advertisements

From an aesthetic viewpoint, which vegetation types in residential areas do you like better? I suppose it might be hard to separate your personal regional or climactic preferences from your aesthetic preferences, but give it your best shot.

Links are to Google street view scenes, 3 for each vegetation type. Tried to find reasonably similar neighborhoods with large-ish but not too large lots (capable of having sufficient vegetation, but not so large and heavily vegetated that you can't see the houses).

WESTERN CONIFEROUS FOREST

- Spokane, WA - open Ponderosa pine forests:
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.7661...DK1w!2e0?hl=en

- Lake Oswego, OR (near Portland) - fir/cedar/hemlock forests, in winter:
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4193...V8yQ!2e0?hl=en

- Mill Creek, WA (near Seattle) - fir/cedar/hemlock forests, in the fall:
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.8613...wLqA!2e0?hl=en

DESERT

- Las Vegas, NV - hot desert with palms and light vegetation:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.2113...TnWQ!2e0?hl=en

- Phoenix, AZ - hot desert xeriscape:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8088...ECmw!2e0?hl=en

- Albuquerque, NM - hybrid cold desert xeriscape mixed with open pine and other
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1665...viEw!2e0?hl=en

MEDITERRANEAN AND WESTERN OAK PRAIRIE - basically coastal California vegetation

- Walnut Creek, CA - oak prairie:
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9089...W7WQ!2e0?hl=en

- Aptos, CA (near Santa Cruz) - Mediterranean
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9918...r5JQ!2e0?hl=en

- North Tustin, CA (in Orange County) - Mediterranean
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7510...LABg!2e0?hl=en

MIDWEST/NORTHEAST DECIDUOUS FOREST

- Overland Park, KS (near Kansas City) - deciduous woods:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9180...5fyQ!2e0?hl=en

- Independence Charter Township, MI (north of Detroit) - deciduous mixed with some conifers, in the fall:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7611...QHvA!2e0?hl=en

- Broomall, PA (near Philly) - deciduous, in the fall:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9726...evmw!2e0?hl=en

SOUTHERN MIXED FOREST

- Raleigh, NC - oak-pine woods (more oak than pine), in the spring:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.8482...jBsQ!2e0?hl=en

- Bluffton, SC (near Charleston) - mostly pines with some oak:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.2414...TT1g!2e0?hl=en

- Metairie, LA (near New Orleans) - live oaks with Spanish moss, some pines and palmettos
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.9831...BIYA!2e0?hl=en

(SUB)TROPICAL - basically central and southern Florida

- Miami
https://www.google.com/maps/@25.6748...pRCg!2e0?hl=en

- Coral Springs
https://www.google.com/maps/@26.2360...Wcpg!2e0?hl=en

- Tampa:
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0713...9e6w!2e0?hl=en
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 12-23-2017, 10:43 PM
 
Location: Arvada, CO
13,824 posts, read 29,776,012 times
Reputation: 14418
I like the NW ones the best. I lived in Spokane: loved it, beauty in every direction, the tall trees I find mesmerizing. Summered as a kid near Mill Creek: loved it. It's almost like the land is trying to hang on to the wild.

I grew up in an area that looks like Tustin, and have lived in a place that looks like Vegas. They have their merits.

I really like the ones in KS, PA, NC, and SC as well.

Where I live now, I'm not sure what you would call it. It is barren plains with trees that wouldn't be there without man.
__________________
Moderator for Los Angeles, The Inland Empire, and the Washington state forums.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-23-2017, 11:04 PM
 
Location: Kansas City, MISSOURI
20,718 posts, read 9,311,341 times
Reputation: 15453
Yeah I thought stuff on the plains was, well, boring and probably wouldn't get any votes so I skipped them.

Another gray area was the Midwest/NE forests, which, technically, could have been divided into 2: The all-deciduous forest from the mid-Great Lakes to the the southeast, and the mixed conifer-deciduous forests northward (including some of upstate NY and parts of New England). But there aren't really many big cities in those areas (I guess Minneapolis is kinda-sorta and maybe Detroit and Boston, but also just kinda-sorta, they're close to the borders of the two areas), so anyway I just decided to lump them together.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-24-2017, 08:46 AM
 
Location: South Padre Island, TX
2,452 posts, read 2,274,034 times
Reputation: 1386
Just so you know, what you list as "Southern Mixed Forest" is within the territory of the US classified as "subtropical." The vegetation of Miami/South Florida is "tropical," while Central Florida is the transition zone between subtropical and tropical.

Subtropical/tropical vegetation has by far the most attractive/lively foliage, so "Southern Mixed Forest" and "(Sub)tropical" on your poll both are satisfactory for me. Med and Desert climates can also grow subtropical vegetation, but the climates are too dry for the lushness I prefer.

Last edited by Texyn; 12-24-2017 at 09:14 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-24-2017, 11:01 AM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,246 posts, read 10,486,692 times
Reputation: 8758
Biased, but definitely going with the Eastern/Midwest deciduous.

I can appreciate the uniqueness and appeal of all vegetation, but, just like the East cannot compete with the West in dramatic land formations, the West, in my experience, doesn't hold a candle to the lush greenery of the East.

Very specifically, I think the broader Mid-atlantic region, running from, say, southern NY through PA, NJ, DE, MD, WV, VA and NC, has the absolute perfect balance of dense foliage, bucolic fields/grasses, and landscaping designs that are incredibly pleasant and appealing.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-24-2017, 11:04 AM
 
Location: West Seattle
6,323 posts, read 4,846,657 times
Reputation: 8358
This has never been a popular opinion, but I don't like nature in my cities. Even in dense urban centers like Seattle, the fact that you can see the mountains and forests all the time ruins it for me.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-24-2017, 01:11 PM
 
Location: PHX -> ATL
6,311 posts, read 6,721,267 times
Reputation: 7167
I like deserts for the sole fact they lack vegetation and the vegetation they do have is very unique. The fact that you can see for miles on end in a desert, and you can't in a forest, means so much more to me. Love the big open skies. I also like plains for this reason also, but they don't have the striking "wow" factor like deserts do.

As far as actual forests, ponderosa pines like you see in Flagstaff and in the NW have always been my favorite. That one street view in Spokane is very beautiful.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-24-2017, 02:38 PM
 
14,199 posts, read 11,440,782 times
Reputation: 38767
I like Mediterranean and the southern mixed forest best.

I appreciate the others, but for me the desert is too barren/dry, and the Pacific Northwest and the deciduous forest (Pennsylvania, Michigan) tend have trees too close together or tightly packed. I have family in Mill Creek and I feel a little claustrophobic when I visit there; Spokane is better (I have family there too). I like to see out from among the trees.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-24-2017, 03:12 PM
 
Location: Erie, PA
3,696 posts, read 2,859,325 times
Reputation: 8742
I am partial to a few forest types.

I do like deciduous forests of the Midwest and Northeast, particularly of the maple/birch or maple/beech mix. My current location is primarily maple/birch and the dominant species of deciduous tree is sugar maple They are gorgeous in the fall and are attractive trees all year round.

I also like mixed deciduous/evergreen forests. This forest type is very common in my area with Norway Spruce, Eastern White Pine, and sugar maple/white birch & river birch.

Another type of forest that I find especially nice is northern evergreen forests with hemlock, spruce, and pine.

I don't particularly find the desert vegetation or Mediterranean type attractive. The vegetation is too sparse and the surrounding landscape looks barren with no interesting points such as ponds, creeks, etc. I'm not into the palm tree thing either since I like trees that turn nice colors in the fall unless they are a pine/fir, etc.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-24-2017, 03:16 PM
 
Location: Kansas City, MISSOURI
20,718 posts, read 9,311,341 times
Reputation: 15453
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texyn View Post
Just so you know, what you list as "Southern Mixed Forest" is within the territory of the US classified as "subtropical." The vegetation of Miami/South Florida is "tropical," while Central Florida is the transition zone between subtropical and tropical.
That's not actually true. South Florida isn't even in the tropics, since it is north of the Tropic of Cancer. This map here shows US vegetation types, and south Florida is classified as "Subtropical broadleaf evergreen forest."

And anyway, this is vegetation types, not climate or hardiness zones.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > General U.S.

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top