Project 20 - 0 Gauge Layout - Part 15

For those of us who mostly scratch build, especially trackwork, it can take weeks or even months working on the foundations of a layout. During this long period it looks nothing like a real railway and can result in enthusiasm waning. It is not until landscaping is underway that the scene comes to life, lifting the spirits and spurring us on with construction.

The two buildings previously presented are in place, albeit much closer to the branch line track than would be allowed in the real world. Between them is a privy (barely visible) being a scaled up version of the Wills plastic kit. In my case it is made from balsa wood 'planks'.

The grass is old fashioned hairy carpet underlay glued to the baseboard and peeled off when dry to leave a multitude of hairs that are trimmed with scissors to the desirable height.. Once painted with acrylics (by sweeping the paint brush to and fro) it takes on a grass like appearance. This method can give longer grass length and be clumpier in places than static grass.

The ivy is teased out hairy string covered in real minced dead tree leaves and then sprayed with acrylic paint.

The bush is the dead, bristly flower head of  Ceratostigma willmottianum covered in real minced dead tree leaves and sprayed green.

To Part 16.

To Part 1.