The continuing fight against the weeds - Trees and Flowers
1. Bonsai Tree. Finding trees that look like miniture trees can be tricky and rewarding. We went to a Bonsai Tree farm a couple of years ago and purchases $20-$50 trees with the hopes that we would have awesome centerpieces on the layout for years to come. Then the 2 month heatwave came and almost everything perished. I've been very scared to make that mistake again, but here we go again. This time instead of burying the containers to try & stop the spreading of the roots and growth of the trees I have fertilized and let them go commando in the soil. Also, I'm not trimming the branches until next season so the trees can get a strong start in this unpreditable world.
2. Baby Pine. Found this for $5 at at end of year greenhouse sale. It was a little too tall for my liking but I am going to let it grow for the rest of the season and take the top 1/3 off in the spring. I find it best not too take off more than a 1/3 when trimming branches in a season.
3. Cranberry. I have no idea when/where I got this plant or even if it is a cranberry. I am constantly trimming this twisted little guy to try to form him into something that looks like real-life apple trees. One of the original plants still remains from the move from the old layout 3 years ago.
4. Snap dragons. The last thing you would expect in a train layout. They are tall and only will last one season. I have these on the outskirts of the layout forming a colourful curtain behind the action. Why are they here? Simply because they are pretty. The whole layout is either grey gravel, brown dirt or green ground cover. The vibrant reds, yellows, pinks and oranges say 'I'm not just a function train layout, I'm also a beautiful garden!!!
5. Violets. These are wild weeds. As long as they do not get in the way of the train they are allowed to stay. I'd rather have them than dandelions... wait... that sounded cruel... I guess I've grown fond of them and at the end of the day I find enjoyment in them.
6. Alyssum. What I thought would be the perfect addition to the front and rear gardens of all my houses. Lining driveways and populated the public park with it's tiny white flowers. Little did I know we have released a monster!!! It ate houses, driveways and road spreading like crazy. We ended up moving the majority of it to the front garden.
7. Water Hyacinth. This years pond creatures are sunfish. My sister had dumped them into my mothers pond and they ate all her baby goldfish so they came to temporarily live with us until the fall hits and we will release them back into the pond they were retrieved from. Fish need something to eat and protection from the sun so we purchased a couple of water hyacinth which multiplied to cover the entire pond. The fish seem to love it! Next year we plan on adopting some baby goldfish from my parents.
8. Cobweb Hens and Chicks. Mary thought they would be perfect for around the haunted house. There is also a Hens and Chicks garden beside the train tunnels. They are hardy and make great accent plant
9 to 11. More plants That I threw away their tags before I learned what they were. We have a couple of each and if they are doing very well. We'll buy more next year and finally learn their names.
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