What sort of potted plants/planters would they have used in the 1920s?

[Soliloquy]

Perhaps this question is better suited to a history forum, but maybe someone here would know about such things. What would potted plants have looked like in the late 1920? What types of planters would they have used? (I'm assuming terra cotta, but any moldings or designs?) What sorts of plants would they have grown in them, and in what combinations/arrangements?

I ask because my family's house was built in 1927, and we've decided to (slowly) get it back to looking like it might have originally. It's in an Arts and Crafts/Craftsman kind of style with stained glass and heavy woodwork, and brick stairs in front with sides wide enough for a planter. Last year we happened to pick up a planter with tall, spiky leaves in the center (unfortunately I don't think the plant was identified) and flowers around it, which I thought looked rather Art Deco in effect. Very striking, though I'm not sure how period appropriate. So I'm hoping this winter I can plan a 1920s potted plant arrangement to frame the front door for next spring!

 

[zigs]

That's a very good question.

Going to have to think about that one

 

[gardeningdan]

Hi Soliloquy, The 1920's was a time of Arts and Crafts, either the planters would have been simple terracotta or elaborate pewter with art-deco outlines. Planting styles were of herbaceous perennials, delphiniums, hosta, think herbaceous borders.

The use of topiary and supported growth, with a resurgence of veg growing and using herbs and beans in both borders and planters. in England a time of naturalized plantings and resurgence of veg gardens, in America the recession had led to city schools growing food in public areas.

I like the basic plants of the period, Lobelia, nasturtiums, marigolds and azaleas. 1921 saw the introduction of many grasses to horticulture butchers broom and buffalo grass.

I work on a 1920 garden designed by Oswald Milne and the most of the original garden plants are still popular and available from suppliers.

 

[Rosyrain]

I would imagine that tin cans would have been used as people tended to re purpose everything during that time period. I am going to have to do a little research on that.

 

[Trellum]

Perhaps this question is better suited to a history forum, but maybe someone here would know about such things. What would potted plants have looked like in the late 1920? What types of planters would they have used? (I'm assuming terra cotta, but any moldings or designs?) What sorts of plants would they have grown in them, and in what combinations/arrangements?

I ask because my family's house was built in 1927, and we've decided to (slowly) get it back to looking like it might have originally. It's in an Arts and Crafts/Craftsman kind of style with stained glass and heavy woodwork, and brick stairs in front with sides wide enough for a planter. Last year we happened to pick up a planter with tall, spiky leaves in the center (unfortunately I don't think the plant was identified) and flowers around it, which I thought looked rather Art Deco in effect. Very striking, though I'm not sure how period appropriate. So I'm hoping this winter I can plan a 1920s potted plant arrangement to frame the front door for next spring!

This probably sounds like one of the most interesting projects ever posted here Best of luck with your project, I hope it's close to be done, if not done already Wish you could show us some pictures if that's the case!