http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Scenery/Trees.htm#sea-foam
I ran across this link for a different kind of home made trees and I think they look great. I’m having a hard time finding “seafoam” at dried flower sites. Only one place listed it and the picture really doesn’t look like the stuff shown in the how to.[%-)]Anybody familiar with this stuff or know if it’s called a different name? Almost looks like the Super Trees stuff.
Loathar–
That “Seafoam” looks suspiciously like what Scenic Express sells here in the US under the name “Instant Trees.” I wonder if it’s the same thing? Sure looks like it. A big box of the stuff sells for about $20, and there’s enough in the box to do the entire Northeast coast in miniature.
Tom [:D]
Woodland Scenics make some packs with it too - their “fine leaf foliage”. Quite costly [to me] but they make nice trees.
Mike
Wonder what it’s called here in the states? The finished product looks good, and convincing my parents to plant goldenrod will be a pain.
I beleive that Scenic Express Super Trees are in fact the same material.
The “Sea foam” used for model trees is an imported Scandinavian plant and indeed the one used by Scenic Express for their Super Trees. To my knowledge, it is not sold in the States under any other name. The material is far, far superior to any product available in crafts stores or elsewhere.
If you are working on a layout of any real size, that $20 box simply ain’t gonna cut it for replicating the dense forests of the Northeast - I know from experience. One needs to go with the much bigger boxes, like the one for around $110.
(section of HO layout, autumnal Northeastern prototype, done with Super Trees)
CNJ831
Anybody know any dried floral shops that sell it?? This is the only thing I found online.
http://www.driedflowersrus.com/tree-dried-dyed-seafoam-bunches-p-673.html
I don’t think that’s the same stuff and it seems pretty pricey.
CNJ–
Actually, I was being a little facietous about the quantity in the box–but it’s certainly given me enough material to begin replacing all of my ‘fall’ clumpy WS deciduous trees on my Yuba River Sub. Of course, I’m modeling the Sierra of California, which is predominantly evergreens–at least at the altitudes I’m modeling. But they’re sure a HUGE improvement over the WS trees. I really like them.
Tom [:)]
Hi loathar: FWIW, I’ve used the starter kit and 2 -1/4 bushel packs of Super Trees on my layout. The 1/4 bu. packs are $24.98 and are supposed to yield approx. 30 trees. I got approx. 300 decent trees, that’s counting some small, (1-3") trees. You get a lot of small “waste” pieces. I used these for small bushes and under growth. It’s a nice change from WS foam clusters. For large expanses of forest, I used “puff ball” trees with WS foam clumps to fill in around the round shapes of the puff balls. IMHO, I, too, think Super Trees make a good looking, realistic deciduous tree. Just my opinion. BTW, Super Trees are not available to ship to Australia or Brazil, per Scenic Express web site.
Loather,
How far back do you want to go on the diy branch? Sea foam or Teloxys aristata as it is called. Is available in kit form. Here is a link to some where in England where they sell the seeds. Looks like it will prefer a northern climate.
http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/211/moreinfo/d/teloxys+aristata+sea+foam/pid/31513000
The kit takes along time to assemble;)
NHRF
I use the stuff on both my US land British outline layouts. It is a good idea to seal them with either paint or hairspray before attaching them, as the sea foam dries out and can snap easily.
You can also add the seafoam to bent wire or plastic formers to create something that looks more like a specific typeof tree.
Jon
Yep, found quite a few places that sell the seed and plants. [sigh]
Jon-Stunning pics as always!
Grampy- I wondered about the actual yield of those kits. I don’t need real big trees so that’s probably the route I’ll go. Walthers has them on sale for $20 this month. Just thought there might be a dried flower store that sold it cheap.
P.S.-I got a line on some free sagebrush. I’ve got an uncle in Ca. I showed him some sage brush trees on line and he said the stuffs all over the place by him. He counldn’t believe what people are charging for it. He’s supposed to send me a big box full.[tup]
Hi loathar: If you’re going with the Super Trees, you might want to try the foam and Noch “leaves” that come with the starter kit. I really like the look that results from them. It gives your trees a 3 dimensional look.
I have used Supertrees extensively on my layout as well. My yield per bag was about 300-400 tress in various sizes in N-scale. I think they came out reasonably well considering that it was my first time making trees:
I also found that Scenic Express makes a great line of scenic foams that rivals WS.
Hi MAbruce: Your trees look great! I think one of the benefits of Super Trees is that there is a pretty short learning curve. The first batch is usually pretty good.
That’s good to know. I’ve been wanting to try that Noch leaf material.
Jon-I just noticed your billboard in the last pic![(-D] That’s great!
Anyone knows where in Scandinavia this is suppose to grow? I’ve never seen one and no one that I knows have either. It doesn’t seem to be common at all.
Magnus
Artemisia versicolor (Seafoam) is also known as “curlycue sage”.
I have not found the original habitat, yet.
Rotor
Does anyone out there have any idea what the botanical name is for this seafom stuff? I’m sur if it grows in Norway it must grow in N.A. It may be called something else here.
Look just one post above yours![:-^]
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Yes, it is available in the US from several vendors.
Rotor