Arbor Day in Empire City

 Greetings All,

Today is the 150th Arbor Day and the 50th anniversary of the

 Arbor  Day Foundation. 

This is the perfect day to present a recent project of adding trees to Empire City using a plant called Sedum and the moving and replanting of some smaller trees on the layout.

The first area to be worked was the Empire City rail fan pavilion. These small skinny trees get lost in the scene and this is one area that is immediately visible when entering the train room. Checkout those new signs!

The Empire City rail fan pavilion with food carts and seating saw five small pine trees were removed.

Four larger trees were added.

To install the trees I drilled a small hole and inserted a dowel that tightly fit into it. The dried sedum tree has a hollow stalk that fits snugly over the dowel. Easy on and easy off for maintenance or future replacement.

The dried sedum stalks make a nice tree with a high canopy and that doesn't block the views and enhances the skyline.

 

Several more sedum trees replaced much smaller pine trees on Main Street.

Four of the smaller trees were replanted in the park below. 

What's a park without trees! Hey what's that guy doing in the corner!!

New larger trees at the corner of the Belvedere Hotel and in front of Lee Beverage Distributors.

Trees added around the West Side Curve and Walsh Steel Wool Products. I paid close attention to the tree planting locations so they would not interfere with operations and track maintenance.

A couple of trees added to his area of the west side adds some depth and visual interest. I need to get back to work on that building to the right!

Three rescued trees are replanted near Empire Produce.

1:87 PC Ralph will have it made in the shade with this new tree!

I grow the sedum plants in my yard and have been using them for years as trees on the layout. I originally used a grass flock and white glue to coat the "leaf  structure" but found over time the flock started falling off.

A few years ago I started to use rattle can spray paint on the tree tops to both secure the "leaves" and give them color. So far this is working pretty good. I plan to pick up a couple of rattle cans with different shades of green to give the trees some variety.

I did try using red and orange and yellow for a Fall scene but didn't like the way it looked.

This is an inexpensive way to add tees to your layout using perennial plants that look good, return each year and can be split into additional plants.

Thanks for reading!!

See you soon!!!