i want to cover a large mtn. with trees during the fall season. what can i use that will look nice and not break my bank? i have looked at ws but its high dollar. any other suggestions. thanks dave…
Well, my suggestion would be to either make or buy some tress for the forground and then build up behind them and sprinkle the correct color for the foilage on that. The actual trees in the forground well show the tress and the foilage behind will trick the eye into seeing a large forest. Ken
Make a bunch of homemade trees of decent quality (about 20 cents each), and then place a dozen or so Scenic Express or Woodland Scenics deciduous trees nearer the front. Do this sort of in layer, or rows, but the secret would be to place died sphagnum moss clumps between the rows. It doesn’t cost a whole bunch at craft stores and florist shops. For super reality, mix colours like nobody’s business. Any photo of a woodland will show you that rarely will you seem more than three or four of the same type of tree next to each other.
There have been several threads on tree making for some of us like this aspect and are willing to share as we learn. First you have to outline what kind of trees you want, - a sumary from my layout
Birch made from Queen of the Praire and paint
Spruce and balsom with Furnace filter on a stick (Aggro’s)
Pine trees from fern/candy tuft/ caspia in holes in a tapered dowl.
Leave trees from sprigs of Spirea taped together with florists tape and foam
Oak from tumble weeds, micro fiber and foam
Background trees, micro fiber balls and foam.
On the commercial market “Super Trees” are really nice.
A couple of pics of what I have made from garden stuff and Michels. A few dollors at most;
We will be glad do discuss this in more detail, but a whole tutorial is too long. Tree making is an art form that anyone can learn, but it takes time. Lets continue to talk as you proceed.
You can try Kanawha Creek Rail Supply. I bought some Pine trees (Grand Central Gems) in large quantities there at a more reasonable price than WS.
http://www.storesonline.com/site/519086/page/152146
Here’s a picture of the hillside and some of the trees. I haven’t “planted” all of the trees yet.
If you are covering a large mountain, then I would follow Tony Koester’s suggestion, Poly-fiber balls. As he says you can makee billions and billions of trees, that may not look like much but from a distance they look great.
Take wisps of poly-fiber from Woodland Scenics, roll it up into a ball in the palm of your hand, spray the ball with spray glue, and sprinkle Woodland Scenic turf products on the sticky ball.
You can get all kinds of fall colors, and after you apply the turf place the ball on a tooth pick stuck into the mountain. You’d be surprised how many you can do in one night if you want to cover a mountain.
Then you can place foreground trees infront.
Yard Master
WTRR