Create inspired spaces

Garden Railways

In the Spring 2019 issue, Nancy Norris shares photographs of nine public spaces designed to inspire you. We’ve assembled all of the related links here for you to access quickly. Gabis Arboretum at Purdue University: tinyurl.com/gabisarboretum A “The sedum spectrum,” June 2013. B “Using red in the railway,” June 2014. C “Massing plants to frame […]

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Model the desert

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The skeleton of a desert in progress at Scott Kennedy’s East Bay Union Railroad at one end of his dogbone trackplan. A flagstone plateau supports the track and retains soil while a dry creek provides drainage and a footpath. Nancy Norris In the fleshed-out desert, a dwarf, blue-green olive tree (Olea ‘Little Ollie’) flanks the […]

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Building an outdoor garden caboose

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Photo 1 Sun has set but modeling continues in paradise—a building for building railway gear, rain or shine. In this caboose, the author keeps kits under construction, trains ready to run, parts drawers, a tiny fridge, and an electric kettle. A train runs through it. Garden tools hang just inside the end door. Rungs lead […]

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Japanese spurge

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Nancy Norris Common name: Japanese spurge, Pachysandra Latin name: Pachysandra terminalis Plant type: Groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8 Cultural needs: Moist, well-drained soil; full shade to full sun Plant size: 6-8″ high, spreading aggressively Close up of leaves Nancy Norris Sometimes we need a groundcover to simply cover the ground in hardy greenness to prevent […]

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The Portage Railway An Illustrated History of the Huntsville & Lake of Bays Railway

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The Portage Railway: An Illustrated History of the Huntsville & Lake of Bays Railway by Jeff Young and Peter Foley Available from: Credit Valley Railway Company 2900 Argentia Road, Unit 24 Mississauga ON L5N 7X9 Canada www.cvrco.ca 12 1/4″ x 9 1/4″; 204 pages, including 10 9″ x 18 1/2″ foldout drawings; hardbound The Huntsville […]

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MRVP Layout Visit: Ray and Renee Grosser’s Nostalgia Trip Outdoor Railway

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page You won’t find the Grosser’s railway in a basement. Instead, they’ve built a 7½” gauge ride-on railroad empire on their rolling property in Southern Kentucky. In this MRVP Exclusive Layout Visit, you’ll get to explore a battery-powered locomotive, 200-pound freight cars equipped with […]

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