Creative ideas for your garden railroad

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Photo 1 This plunging waterfall is on the author’s Hoot ’n’ Holler Railroad in northern Ohio. It is “pondless,” with an underground pump reservoir beneath the mill. Don Parker Photo 2 The waterwheel from the mill in photo 1 is built around a section of 4″ plastic drain pipe. Don Parker Photo 3 This telltale […]

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Mulch in the garden railroad

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Photo 1 Shredded hardwood bark mulch, bleached by the sun, provides soil cover in an area that will be full of groundcover plants in time. Note that the mulch has been pulled away from the tree trunk behind the figure. Don Parker Photo 2 Freshly applied, finely shredded hardwood bark mulch (triple-ground) before it has […]

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Dwarf hardy jasmine

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Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf hardy jasmine, Parker’s jasmine Latin name: Jasminum parkeri Plant type: Shrubs & small trees USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-11 (overwinter indoors in lower zones) Cultural needs: Regular moisture, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 8-18″ high x 18″ wide Many plants are called jasmine but stem from […]

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Conifers, part 2: More ideas for trees

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Photo 1 Dwarf Scots pine on the author’s current garden railroad. Don Parker Photo 2 Lynn’s Golden Hinoki false cypress on Marc Langan’s Mulberry Creek Railroad. Don Parker Photo 3 Blue Feathers false cypress. Photo taken at Mulberry Creek Herb Farm and Miniatures. Don Parker Photo 4 Chirimen false cypress. Photo taken at Mulberry Creek […]

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Pruning practices: Part 2

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1 Marcus and Vanessa Kollmann model European railroads on their Landschaft Gartenbahn. Living scenery wraps around the structures and cozies up to the track for a lush landscape. At left, a cut-leaf Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’, Zones 5-9) stretches over the street for bright, dappled lighting. After winter, the Kollmanns shape this tree while […]

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Beyond Alberta spruce

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1. The two darker trees on the right are Jean’s Dilly Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Jean’s Dilly’, Zones 3-8), unpruned. The lighter-colored tree above the railtruck is a pruned dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’, Zones 4-8—author’s former garden railroad). Don Parker 2. Miniature moss false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Squarrosa Minima’, Zones 4-8) is scale-appropriate […]

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Blue Pyramid cypress

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Unpruned Nancy Norris Common name: Blue Pyramid cypress Latin name: Cupressus arizonica ‘Blue Pyramid’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9 Cultural needs: Average-to-poor well-drained soil; sun or light shade Plant size: Fast growing to 20′ in 10 years but easily pruned annually to stay under 3′ Pruned Nancy Norris Blue Pyramids are just […]

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Rehab My Railroad: Outdoors, Episode 4

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this concluding episode of the Outdoors series, David follows the advice of previous guest Marc Horovitz, and builds a concrete bridge abutment for a troublesome trestle. Kent teams with Rehab: Seasons 1 and 2 host Chuck Sable to install IR signals for […]

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Rehab My Railroad: Outdoors, Episode 4

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page In this concluding episode of the Outdoors series, David follows the advice of previous guest Marc Horovitz, and builds a concrete bridge abutment for a troublesome trestle. Kent teams with Rehab: Seasons 1 and 2 host Chuck Sable to install IR signals for […]

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Rehab My Railroad: Outdoors, Episode 3

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Rain or shine, Rehab My Railroad: Outdoors rolls on! This time out, Garden Railways magazine founder/editor Marc Horovitz drops by to inspect the progress and offer up some sage advice, David builds a functional wood retaining wall and a structure foundation, and Cody […]

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