All things Antelope Valley thread (San Bernardino, Oxnard: HOA, custom home, college)

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

Question: Why is it that some locals do not consider the Antelope Valley a "true" desert? I mean, I'm pretty sure there are Joshua trees, athel tamarisks, cacti, and other desert whatnot... I don't quite get it...

I've heard some say the Antelope Valley is actually more like the mediterranean climate. Maybe that's why grapes and olive grows well.

[HB2HSV]

I am going to give grape a try. I'v always wanted to espalier fruit trees and I'll have the yard in this house to do it. Also a few years ago I toured the Napa Valley vineyards and saw how they grow grapes. They give it very minimal water through drip irrigation and this promotes the root go deeper in the ground to seek water. They also said the big grapes are not the sweetest because too much water. Smaller size grapes are actually sweeter. Interesting.

[Brandon Graves]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

I've heard some say the Antelope Valley is actually more like the mediterranean climate. Maybe that's why grapes and olive grows well.

They do?!

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by Brandon Graves

They do?!

NRS Spearheads Mediterranean Ecosystems Protection Group | Natural Reserve System

The first picture they show is Antelope Valley.

[stillsue-z]

I've not seen olives in AV. Grapes do well, I only tried Red Flame and Thompson seedless not the wine grapes. LA has the Mediterranean climate, AV has the hot summers for sure but not the rainy winters LA gets. Average rainfall here (and we do not get it as often anymore) is about 7 inches on the valley floor, compared to twice that in LA.The coastal fog rarely makes it into the valley tho it's quite common to see the "fog banks" hanging over the Tehachapis and San Gabriels. We do often get the nice afternoon breeze from the onshore flow. We also get freezing here every winter which LA does not so I would dispute that AV has a complete Mediterranean climate. Sunset gardening book has us for different microclimates than LA also.

[KoNgFooCj]

I would also tie Santa Clarita into the general geographical mix (even though it's quite developed, its a bit disconnected from the San Fernando Valley) ;along with the much smaller cities along 14 like Agua Dulce and Acton. The more Lancaster/Palmdale grow, the more the Sierra Pelona Valley/14 corridor is going to grow.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

I would also tie Santa Clarita into the general geographical mix (even though it's quite developed, its a bit disconnected from the San Fernando Valley) ;along with the much smaller cities along 14 like Agua Dulce and Acton. The more Lancaster/Palmdale grow, the more the Sierra Pelona Valley/14 corridor is going to grow.

Thank you for resurrecting this thread.

Speaking of Santa Clarita, we visited the Valencia part and we like the area. I have a theory that is the more trees a City plants, the better & the more upscale the neighborhood will be. Look at Valencia, the City planners had the upscale in mind when they master planned this community with wide open streets and LOTS and LOTS of TREES. Whereas Newhall and Canyon Country, not so much.

Taking the same observation back to Palmdale, take a look at the Rancho Vista neighborhood, lots of mature trees, not sure the City did it or the developer did, but they did it right. Compare this neighborhood with say, the east side, hardly any trees at all, the contrast is obvious but so is the social economic status between the two.

As I take my observation and apply to different parts of LA and OC, I arrived at the same conclusion. Trees offer so much benefits to a neighborhood whether it's in a high desert or in a coastal city, people are drawn to trees.

[kttam186290]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

Thank you for resurrecting this thread.

Speaking of Santa Clarita, we visited the Valencia part and we like the area. I have a theory that is the more trees a City plants, the better & the more upscale the neighborhood will be. Look at Valencia, the City planners had the upscale in mind when they master planned this community with wide open streets and LOTS and LOTS of TREES. Whereas Newhall and Canyon Country, not so much.

Taking the same observation back to Palmdale, take a look at the Rancho Vista neighborhood, lots of mature trees, not sure the City did it or the developer did, but they did it right. Compare this neighborhood with say, the east side, hardly any trees at all, the contrast is obvious but so is the social economic status between the two.

As I take my observation and apply to different parts of LA and OC, I arrived at the same conclusion. Trees offer so much benefits to a neighborhood whether it's in a high desert or in a coastal city, people are drawn to trees.

The Eastside of Palmdale looks and feels more like Victorville, while the Westside of Palmdale looks and feels more like a part of Santa Clarita. It's strange you can have such a dichotomy in one city.

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

The Eastside of Palmdale looks and feels more like Victorville, while the Westside of Palmdale looks and feels more like a part of Santa Clarita. It's strange you can have such a dichotomy in one city.

That is a good observation and I agree! I work in Victorville and as I drive around during lunch time, the sun beats down on me with reflections from the buildings and sidewalks, a constant reminder that you're in a desert.

[tommy64]

Castaic.