Miniature Village Garden

I've always wanted a topiary garden in my village. I've collected some really nice miniature garden statues from Falcon minatures and Ametec industries in Scotland. Along with some topiary creations I've made. So after several practice tries with some smaller vignettes I think I have a plan that might work!I'm using polystyrene foam Board for the base and backdrop. I want the backdrop to be removable so I won't attach it. I'm setting the major pieces on the base and taking a picture to plan out the paths and flower beds.


I loaded the photo on my computer and printed out the picture so I can write on it.
I'm probably not going to stay with everything in the photo but it gives me a general idea of the pathways I want.

I had to find a way to make hills and rocks in some medium other than white or green extruded foam. I saw a you tube video by a train collector who does marvelous train landscapes. Here is his link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP-cyX2F8p0&feature=channel
Thebige61 has some amazing ways to add hills, rocks, and water to your landscape using floral foam.
After gluing the floral foam pieces to my back ground board I will shave them down with a rasp to look like a hill.

Here I'm adding my first rock. If you checked out BigE61 then you know these are plaster rocks from a woodland scenics mold. They are really easy to work with. The only thing that may be a problem is plaster does chip easily. I may have to seal these rocks to protect the paint from chipping especially from a backdrop that I'm going to move a lot and store.

Here's what they look like after taking from the mold. I bought two molds.

I'm using some of the larger rocks for the sides to frame in my waterfall. I had to use sand paper to shave them down a little. I used the ground foam and glue from BigE61's video to seal all the cracks it worked really well.

I bought these fairy statues and Castles from Amtech industries out of Scotland. I want to make a little fairy garden for them. I though the large detailed castle on a hill would look really good. So I carved an overhang to go over the fairy hill. I want to add some rocks under the hill for a Scottish craggy look. I'm hoping it will work lets see.

Here I've added more rocks to my hill and under the fairy hill.

I've added most of the rocks that I want to frame in my waterfall and stream.

I painted the rocks and floral foam a base coat of grey.

Then a light wash of black acrylic that I'm blotting back off with a paper towel. Make sure to let each layer of color paint dry completely before adding the next wash.

Then a wash of burnt sienna acrylic. I'm putting another coat of paint on the floral foam as well to make it stronger.

Here's how they look with all the color washes. I also dry brushed a little dolphin grey acrylic just to outline the rock.

While the rocks are drying I'm drawing in my paths and flower beds. To make the paths circular I used a quilters ruler, it has several sizes of circular lines. I also wanted a checkerboard grass area for my angel statues.I just think they are neat! LOL

Using Noch static grass mixed with Woodland scenics dark green flocking I glue the grass around my rocks.I just use elmer's white glue.

Don't forget the fairy hill! LOL

Here I added the rocks outlining the stream. I added some of the statues just to see what they look like! So far so good. I know this steam is going to be hard to make the way I want. I have to seal it to hold the envirotex till it dries. Then remove the sealing material so my backdrop will fit back in place. This will take some planning.

I've painted the rocks surrounding the stream and picked a blue for the stream bed. The sidewalks are covered with grout and painted. I don't like the color though so I'm going to change it to grey.

I'm taking a break from the stream to work on my checkboard grass. I so hope this comes out right! LOL
I first painted the squares so if the flocking doesn't cover everything it will still look thick. I know I want the dark green flock so I'm painting on the glue and covering each square with the woodland scenics flock. It's just so mono tone green though it really needs some more variations in color.

I'm done covering the squares. When it's completely dry I brush off any excess to save for another project. doing this I can make a package of flocking or static grass last all year.

Now my next color I can use Noch meadow green or Woodland Scenics golden brown???? See the difference in the flocking. Noch adds some color variations to it's greens I really like that.

Noch wins this one. Now I noticed it was easier to keep straight edges using a flat staight edge paint brush to put the glue on. I also pressed a little hard when making the lines for the squares so the flocking would look neater.

Here's a side view. I'm really pleased with the way this came out. When the grass was completely dry I brushed it gently with a paint brush to make the flock stand up a little.When I brushed it the dark green grass picked up some of the colored fibers from the Noch static grass giving the monotone darker green a little more depth.I have a static grass applicator but I didn't like the result when I used it.

Here how my angels look on their new lawn! I'm happy with this.