20 GARDEN RAILWAYS FALL 2019
DESIGN HARMONY
The design goal of a focal point is
displayed at the Miens Family Rail-
road’s pond in the Canadian Rock-
ies (photo 1). Canadian Pacific
coaches shimmer in the woodsy
wash, where yellow marsh mari-
golds (Caltha palustris, Zones 2-9)
point to yellow ducklings. Prevent-
ing erosion on the shore, red saxi-
frage (Saxifraga arendsii var., Zones
3-8) and creeping blue speedwell
(Ve ro ni c a re p e n s, Zones 2-9) con-
trast the silvery deadnettle, (Lami-
um galeobdolon ‘Herman’s Pride’,
Zones 2-9) against the lattice.
In photo 2, water is needed to
employ the theme, “Let’s get to
work.” As the sawmill lines up logs
on the ramp for sawing, a row of
sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum,
Zones 4-9) frames and blends the
scene into Rick and Eileen Nor-
wood’s yard and acts as a psycho-
logical barrier to foot traffic.
Respite from the Arizona heat,
an oasis in photo 3 refreshingly
complements the Eagle Mountain
Railroad. Gary and Peggy Martin
contrast their red-rock mountains
with local turquoise stone holding
back an apparently seasonal stream
where a few f lowers linger on the
shore. Their palo verde trees, an
icon of the southwest desert, can be
found in a little-leaf version (Cer-
cidium microphyllum, Zones 8-10).THINK SMALL
The great thing about modeling
scale water is that it’s even more
believable when small. With the
exception of the Regional Reports,
the examples here are small to
moderate in size. Why not sink a
birdbath-like pot in your park,
farm, or circus and use one of
those solar-powered fountains
advertised online?
Chip Gierhart didn’t just build a
water feature on his Rhadishe Bahn
West, he turned it into an attrac-
tion. A brass faucet fills LGB’s mol-
ten ore car, which travels to the rear
of the railway and auto-dumps
onto an unsuspecting sunbather!
He tucked dry ice into the ravine
for sea smoke. See a “molten”
liquid test video in the links at
GardenRailways.com/Fall2019Bonus color from
pond “mirror”1
2
3