Farm Pond VII -- Adding Some Dry Land Plantings

From a commercially prepared group of about six small trees, one was chosen and wrapped with brown florist tape.  The brown contrasts a little with the gray wire (and most bark is not nearly so much brown as gray), but the tree seems to look better to me!

While "ground goop" looks pretty good as it is, adding a little fine turf that's a mix of greenish brown colors seems to make the scene look a little more realistic.

This is adhered to the surface with half and half white glue and water spread with a paint brush.  Likewise, some homemade ground covering (from blending dried leaves and twigs) was added.  The intent is for the "pasture" to be a bit more grassy and the surrounds a bit more weedy when it's all over.  Also laid down some medium and fine gray ballast for the drive leading away from the cotton gin.  Medium may be a little too coarse; need to check after it all dries.

Florist tape wrapped tree looks pretty good on the other side of the pond.  Of course, its size seems to be challenged by the cattails!!

Waiting for scenery to dry is a bummer, but after an overnight spell it was time to try to add some taller grass.  The plan is to have some "pasture" grass inside the fence and something more resembling weeks outside and around the cotton field. . . and maybe a little near the railroad siding.  The pasture grass will be 1.5 mm yellow(-ish) grass from SceneMaster and the weeds will be 2.0 mm winter mix from Peco.  Maybe the homemade static grass applicator will make some of the flocking stand up.

The pasture grass looks a little "hairy", so that's good.  Got some on the pond that will have to be removed in due time.  Since the ground covering mix applied the day did not all stick, a shot or two of strong hold hair spray was applied.  Problem is, some got on the top of the pond!  A little water on a paper towel removed much of the hairspray.  Maybe the flocking on the pond can be removed with a small vacuum cleaner.

The color difference in the two flockings is more evident than the length of the "blades", but some added weeds and broomstraw will help define the different areas.  Some bushes will be inserted near the rails, also, but not until the wire has been installed. . . maybe.

Since half and half water/glue was applied with a syringe for the static grass, it's another overnight drying needed.