Common name: Trailing ice plant, Cooper’s ice plant Latin name: Delosperma cooperi USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9 Cultural needs: Well-drained soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 3-inches high by 3-feet wide Sometimes called hardy ice plant or purple ice plant, this low succulent is not to be confused with the larger purple […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Goji berry, wolfberry, Chinese boxthorn Latin name: Lycium barbarum, L. chinense Plant type: Perennial USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-9 for L. barbarum, 4-9 for L. chinense Cultural needs: Well-drained, high pH (alkaline) soil, full sun Plant size: 5-8′, easily pruned to stay 2-3′ as in photo Nurseries stock Goji berry plants more […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf prickly pear cactus, devil’s tongue Latin name: Opuntia sp. USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-10, depending on species Cultural needs: Gravelly or sandy well-drained, neutral soil, sun or part shade Plant size: 4-6″ pads, clumping Nancy Norris To feature “devil’s tongue” cactus in a family hobby may be controversial—just check out all […]
Garden Railways highlights five garden hand tools and one DIY project in this snapshot video. See more in the Fall 2019 issue of Garden Railways magazine. […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Dwarf parrot’s feather Latin name: Myriophyllum aquaticum minima Plant type: Water plant USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10 (overwinter indoors in colder zones) Cultural needs: Full or partial sun in water Plant size: 2″ high and spreading Dwarf parrot’s feather is one of my favorite aquatics for its lacy, fluffy look and its […]
Garden Railways highlights five garden hand tools and one DIY project in this snapshot video. See more in the Fall 2019 issue of Garden Railways magazine. […]
To a novice gardener, the topic of plant-hardiness zones can be as confusing as gauge and scale terminology is to the beginning model railroader. With gauge and scale, there are different standards used by various manufacturers. In gardening, growers and publishers utilize different hardiness-zone ratings. The main confusion comes from the fact that there are […]
Download this free nine-page PDF to learn how to control the growth of miniature trees, and prune, shape, and trim a variety of different plants. […]
Nancy Norris Common name: Watch chain stonecrop Latin name: Sedum sexangulare Plant type: groundcover USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9 Cultural needs: full sun, average to dry soil with good drainage Plant size: 6-10″ Often used on green roofs for a quick covering, watch chain stonecrop is both dainty and rugged. Like most stonecrops of the genus, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
