MODEL RAILROADING TIPS

Homemade trees, bushes and more

The cheapest and fastest way to make nice modell trees is to start from what nature have to offer, of shrubbs, gras, flowers and such.

Here is a list of some plants I have tried:

Name            Latin name              Plant part
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Butterfly Bush  Buddleja Davidii        Pick the upper part of the flower
                                        in Autumn. Use it as a whole tree
                                        or bushes. Wait until winter and
                                        pick them after that the small
                                        dried brown flowers have dropped
                                        of the flower stem and use the
                                        stem as dead trees.

Goldenrods      Solidago                Pick the upper part of the flower  
                ("Baby Gold")           in Autumn. Use it as a whole tree
                (canadensis)            or bushes.
                ("Golden Wings")

(Shamrock)      Hydrangea               Pick the flower-stalks, cut of the
                                        flower blades and use the stalk to
                                        make large leaftrees

Hornbeam        Carpinus betulus        The green leaves are dried
Beech           Fagus sylvatica         indoors and crushed to make
                                        foliage. A lot of work, try
                                        sawdust coloured with stain 
                                        instead.

Lilacs          Syringa vulgaris        Pick sticks and us as timber 
                                        and stumps. Pick the flowers
                                        in late autumn to make trees.

I will add more plants, pictures and a detailed description of how I make the trees, when I get the time.