Vegetation has arrived at Rosebud Falls

[ttrigg]

Vegetation has arrived at Rosebud Falls. After a long and wet winter The Minister of Finance for the Rosebud Falls Scenic Railways has approved the acquisition and planting of vegetation in and around Rosebud Falls.

In the yard area Little Jamie (Chamaecyparis thyoides) was selected for use around the coaling tower. Actually she grudgingly approved while at the nursery, once planted she gave an ecstatic approval. The ground cover is Elfin Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum)


Rosebud Falls City Park received Cork Elms (Ulmus parvifolia "corkbark") with more Elfin Thyme for ground cover. (note the track in its approximate location for the grade up to "Mt. Blume"

In the background you can see the construction zone for the trolley line to the top of "Mt. Blume" (ala Mt. Lowe, via a spindly and rickety timber trestle bridge.


Notice the red paving stone, future site of the Band Box/Gazeebo to be constructed.

Between the houses appear a pair of Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica)


Close up of the ground cover is Elfin Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum)


Another recent acquisition (birthday present actually)


Future site of the Vine Arbor Amusement Park


Future location of Farmer Browns pig and sheep farm.

One of the dogs lost her Frisbee in the pond! As I'm planting the wiring is getting buried.

[ttrigg]

If you live in the San Diego / Southern Calif area, mark May 6, Saturday, for the Poway Walter Andersons Nursery. They are having GRR Gardening Classes, with "price reductions"

[FJ and G]

Your groundcover looks really great (& lifelike for scale size). Is your pond pump operated and what type of liner are you using?

[ttrigg]

David;
According to the tag on the flats of ground cover, Elfin Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum), it requires full sun, moderate water, grows to a maximum of two inches tall. At "scale" the leaves would be about one inch in width and length. Small white blooms to 1/16th inch (scales out to little over an inch.)

The pond pump is on a timer, on at about 6:30 a.m. and off at midnight. Wouldn't hurt to run 24x7 but since the falls are aimed directly at my bedroom window, flowing water sounds make it easy to fall asleep, however, running water sounds all night make for more trips to the bathroom each night. The pond liner is a single sheet about 1/16th inch thick, with a quarter inch thick pad underneath, to prohibit abrasion to the underside. The pump is rated at 2,000 gallons per hour, which means the "entire" pond volume is cycled through the filters in about an hour and ten minutes.

[tangerine-jack]

Elfin thyme grows VERY slowly, but it indestructable, absolutely indestructable. It can survive whatever you throw at it, but it grows S-L-O-W. I have some on the Dixie D that once lined the waterfall and now is doing duty as ground cover for a future city park. I think it took about 2 or 3 years to grow to about 12" in diameter. Did I mention that it grows slow?

[ttrigg]

The s l o w e r t h e b e t t e r .

don't want to have to do much trimming

[FJ and G]

Tom.

Much thanks! The timer device gives me some ideas. Also, what a great way to save $$$. (course in winter, pond might freeze over if that's not a problem)

Also, you are not the first person to suggest thymes. Guess i'll be thyme hunting.

[ttrigg]

David;

About the only ice around here in the winter is in the ice tray in the fridge. The wife keeps that piece of machinery in the kitchen, won't let me take it outside to make snow!

[Rene Schweitzer]

Tom,
I like the windmill. Do you where it was purchased?

[ttrigg]

Rene;

Wal-Mart, in the garden center. I had posted it as well as the other "solar panel illuminated" garden buildings in the now defunct forum. This windmill goes for ~$50. There is a larger one (just over 4 ft tall) for ~$125

[Rene Schweitzer]

It's a neat piece. You'd never guess it was a "lawn decoration."

[MTCarpenter]

Wow. Very nice looking layout. And great looking plants as well.

[ttrigg]

Rene;

That's what I like about the solar lighted stuff from Wal~Mart, it looks nice, weathers well, and not really that expensive. The light house in these pic's is just about two and half years old, out side from day one, and still looks good, very little fading from sunlight.