Lip fern

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Nancy Norris Common name: Lip fern, Silver cloak fern Latin name: Cheilanthes argentea Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9 Cultural needs: Sun to part shade; well drained, slightly acidic, poor soil Plant size: 6″ high and wide The perfect dwarf fern for railway gardens elevated on rocks is the lip fern. Able to withstand […]

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Blue star juniper

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Nancy Norris Common name: Blue Star juniper Latin name: Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ Plant type: Dwarf conifer USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: Moist, well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 2′ x 3′, spreading Blue Star juniper is a selection from Asian parentage, the Himalayan juniper. A plant […]

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Garden railroading at The Colorado Railroad Museum

Garden railroading at The Colorado Railroad Museum

The railway at a glance Name of railroad: DGRS Garden Railway at the Colorado Railroad Museum Size of railroad: 97′ x 70′ Scale: Various Gauges: 0 (32mm) and 1 (45mm) Era: Late 1800s to modern Theme: Colorado mountains and plains Age: 24 years Motive power: All types, including track power, battery power, and live steam […]

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Scab plant

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Nancy Norris Common name: Scab plant Latin name: Raoulia australis Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-10 Cultural needs: Dry, well-drained soil, sun or part shade Plant size: under 1″ high by 12″ wide Raoulia (Ra-OO-lee-uh) admittedly has way too many vowels but it does sound better than “scab plant,” its common name. The silvery […]

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Littleleaf boxwood

littleleaf_boxwood

Nancy Norris Common name: Littleleaf box or boxwood, small-leaf boxwood Latin name: Buxus microphylla USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9 (4-10 with proper cultivation) Cultural needs: Well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil; sun or part shade Plant size: 6″ to 4′ high and wide, depending on cultivar Railroaders welcome bright-green miniatures and dwarfs from the group […]

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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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Blue Pyramid cypress

pyramid_unpruned

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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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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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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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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