Using Herbs & Spices for Ground Cover

In this video with Allen Keller, Jerry Macri details some of his scenery techniques. Jerry uses typical earth and Woodland Scenics blended turf – about 20 bags of it, but he has also discovered using herbs and spices to add great dimension to his layout for a more realistic look. Jerry shows the different herbs and spices he has found he can use with success on his layout. He enjoys the different variations in colors, including Olive Leaf and Barley Green which are his favorites for green.

His other favorites for earth tones are Juniper Berries and Valerian Root. One of his favorite darker colors is Black Walnut which is a great dirt color. Some of these can be purchased at nutritional stores at half price if they are expired. He goes on to describe the different Woodland Scenics ground foams he uses. Other natural materials besides the spices and herbs include real earth and rocks.

The first step in applying these materials on the layout is brushing 100% white glue on the structolite. Next he takes some of the larger rocks and pushes them into the structolite followed by covering them with the larger ground foam as a base. If it is an uneven application, that is fine, as it will create a more realistic, less flat look.

He builds up layers of different colors and then goes in with the blended turf with some polyfiber on the border of the new area. The purpose of the polyfiber is to serve as a good base for the herbs and spices. To see the scenery technique completed and learn more scenery techniques, watch the full video. For more Allen Keller videos, visit the Model Railroad Academy archives.