A fond childhood memory of mine is playing with the model train set in my brother’s bedroom.  My parents created a train village that pulled down from the wall like a “Harvey Bed”.  There were shelves in the back to hold the trains and whatever else wasn’t glued down.  And because a child’s bedroom is only so big, it was a feat of genius to create the train set like mom and dad did.  Should you be the kind of friend that liked to break things, the village was closed up on the wall and you never knew it was there. Yes, they are a clever couple.  We spent hours assembling the possible locomotive and train car combinations and once that train started moving, the village came to life. Tiny houses lit up in the village and we would listen to the train chugging on the track.  As the village stood still in time we used our imaginations to create stories for what was happening at the village.  But please do not confuse this with child’s play.  Collecting more trains and accoutrement for the village became an interesting hobby for my parents too.  Railways are for all ages.

This garden railways project is about bringing the fun outside. On a recent visit with Curtis Jones, co-owner of Botanical Interests, I toured his front yard garden railway.  Introducing me to his miniature communities, several were designed to reflect good memories shared by his mother and father camping and fishing. His father flew B-52′s in WWII so there is a fantastic dogfight taking place over the garden with a plane nearly crashing at the base of the falls.  Airplanes and hot air balloons (that are attached to trees above the railway) are great elements to add movement to an otherwise static display.

If you look closely at the photos in this blog you can see Curtis’s railway appears at a certain size.  His railway gauge is “K scale”.  If you are new to the miniature railway world, the train locomotive, train cars and railway gauge or track is based on a scale of your choosing.  There are many different scales.  Here are a few examples.  The “Z scale” equates to a 1:220 ratio which means for every 1″ the model is representing 220′, this is tiny.  The “G scale” equates to a 1:22.5 ratio which means for every 1″ the model is representing 22.5′.  This is more typical of what you will find in garden railways.  Once you determine your train scale, stick with it.  Your people, buildings, planes, trees and associated signage will also be associated with the scale of your train.  Remember scale makes it all tie together because the continuity reinforces the reality that you want to achieve.

Since this is a garden blog I encourage you to use live plantings within the display.  The plastic trees you buy in the store can add up fast and will not weather the elements of snow and monsoons.  So save your money by adding four seasons and some natural beauty to your miniature creation.  Curtis has kindly offered his input as a hobby railway garden designer.  Together we have come up with practical suggestions that we hope will inspire you to create your own railway garden.

1. Miniature ski slopes can appear on those rustic mine shaft filled mountains during winter. Plant some dwarf evergreens from your local nursery to represent a mountainous landscape.
2. Miners and their families can camp-out near the town train depot.  Look for miniature cacti and scarlet globemallow for the appearance of a desert environment.
3. Farms need trains to transport their produce.  Plant a field of varied seeds representing different types of crops.  Vegetables come in miniature sizes these days.  Think of planting some dainty flowers such as dwarf lemon drop marigolds in narrow rows for life and color in the garden.
4. Imagine rosemary planted en mass to substitute for a pinon forest.
5. Dive into the details of where the water will run in your “creek” when it rains. Be sure to place smaller rocks throughout to emphasize small scale.  Sweet allysum is a great planting for durable compact color in rocky settings.  Bunny tails grass is also a great 4 season planting for hardier locations.
6. Tunnels for the train dug through earthen mounds appear as tunnels in the mountains.   Plant some white button daisies, yellow button daisies, English daisies or lobelia to give the impression of alpine meadows.
7. Backyard ponds can become tropical retreats.  Sensitive plant gives this exact feeling when you look at it’s lacy leaves.  Stack some miniature surfboards and kayaks in the sand.
8. Imagine your larger rocks giving the impression of cliffs off the coast of California.  These poppies will do the trick!
9. I don’t see why the Titanic can’t sink in your pond next to a white rock?  I’m sure there was a train running somewhere on the shores of that fateful day.  Plant some moss and artemisia fringed sage along the rocks for an almost mystical appearance.
10. Are you from Texas or did you just get there as quick as you could?  Think of a miniature field filled with desert bluebells or forget-me-not as your train comes through a Lone Star town.
11. When I look at sweet candytuft , I think of a foggy lush forest filled with color in Washington or Maine.
12. If you are going for a ghost town look, remember these bewitched pansies for fall color emphasis.
13. In a wind swept seaside (I can’t help but think of my son’s Thomas the tank engine), these moss roses are a perfect match.  Add some sand and tiny beach umbrellas next to your “ocean”.  A beach house would be nice but only if you’ve got the time!
14. Yevani basil and thyme not only smells delightful but is a mass of small green leaves.  This is not only effective planting design but practical for the kitchen! Think of a trip to Tuscany in “G scale”, this is much more affordable!
15. Lastly, for long lasting flowers try sweet peas in your design.  They are pretty and may serve as an ideal miniature flower garden.

Good luck and please let us know what you create!

In Simple Creativity~ Sam