Model Railroad Secrets - Modeling A Garden Scene

Ever see a model railroad layout where the buildings just seem to be stuck this way and that? They don't seem belong to the scene? Well you need to give your buildings a reason to exist and bring the entire scene to life by adding details around the buildings that make it seem live in.

For houses a great way to bring a scene alive its to add a vegetable garden. Drive around this summer and take a look at the houses in your neighborhood. People do more with their houses than live in the structure - they live in the yard. Planting a vegetable garden in the front or back of a house makes the scene look vibrant and active.

Luckily there are some very detailed foliage and model products available these days to pull off a very convincing garden and it can either be for vegetable of flowers. Products from Noch, Busch, JTT and Woodland Scenics can be used to pull off a very realistic garden scene.

• Look around your spice rack for ideas. Ground spices and dried leaf spices can be used as ground cover or as scale plants.
• Look in the bulk food area of your local supermarket. Seeds or dried peas can be used as scale cabbages.
• If the scene is in the foreground plan on purchasing some highly detailed plants for up close inspection.
• Keep in mind a figure bent over weeding or leaning on a hoe can add a lot of character to a scene.
• Build a small garden shed, fences and add a critter or two like scale rabbits to add some humor to the scene.