Australian Gum Trees for my Layout
I had a need for about 500 filler Gum trees for my logging layout
http://willowcreekrr.site40.net/, so I started raiding my neighbour’s gardens but could not find anything that looked realistic.
My daughter-in-law who is a horticulturist suggested that I have a look at a shrub that she has called “Heavenly Bamboo” which when finished flowering , leaves flower heads that look like miniature trees without their leaves.
The Nandina domestica 'Pygmaea' or ‘heavenly bamboo’ is a deciduous shrub which typically grows 4-5' tall (shorter in areas where it dies to the ground in winter). Features a clump of erect, cane- or bamboo-like stems with compound leaves which are divided into narrow, lacy leaflets (1-2" long). This cultivar grows shorter and has lacier foliage than the species. Leaves emerge coppery in spring, turn to green in summer and finally change to reddish-purple in fall. Tiny whitish flowers appear in late spring in loose, erect, terminal clusters (6-12" long). Flowers are followed by heavy sprays of red berries which persist from fall to spring, providing winter interest.
Now this is not a tutorial on how to make miniature trees as there is a plethora of information about how to dip the trees in 50/50 mixture of white glue/water then dip in ground cover already on the internet, no this is just to inform those who like to model the Great Southland that there is a resource here that they can tap into.
Regards Jeff.
