Garden Photo of the Day

Wayne’s Garden Railroad

A miniature landscape around a model train

By GPOD Contributor
miniature railroad landscape with tiny plants

Today Wayne Decker is sharing photos of an unusual backyard garden.

These are a few pictures I have taken of the garden railroad I am building. I live in Chubbuck, Idaho. I just started about three years ago and am slowly building around the perimeter of my backyard. I try to plant perennials so they come back each year. It has been fun watching it transform from nothing to a thriving garden full of color and alive with many beneficial insects. My favorite has been all the honeybees. Adding the railroad to my garden has made it more enjoyable not only for me but for others who come by to see it. From the pictures you can see that I enjoy the garden year-round.

toy train in the gardenThe corner of the yard features the railway and a traffic light.

miniature railroad landscape with tiny plantsUsing small plants along the railroad keeps the whole thing to scale, creating a miniature landscape around the train.

wide view of the garden and the railroad system around a white fenceA wide view shows just how extensive this railroad system is.

another view of the railroad along the fenceMany gardeners have garden beds along their fences, but this is something quite different and special.

large light pink daylily flowerA daylily (Hemerocallis hybrid, Zones 5–9) in bloom brings some summer color to the garden.

close up of the railroad landscape with rocks and tiny plantsI love all the little details in this garden. It’s a whole landscape of rock and water and plants for the train to run through.

miniature desert landscape with tiny cactusHere the railway takes a trip through the desert, with cacti and even a tiny building set in the gravel to give the effect of an entirely different part of the world.

 

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Comments

  1. sandyprowse 04/05/2022

    Just out of this world, that is a first with the train. Great work and Bravo! Love it.

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      Thank you!! I appreciate that

  2. User avater
    treasuresmom 04/05/2022

    I bet kids love seeing this.

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      They do!! I have people always asking to bring their kids to see. Thank you

  3. annek 04/05/2022

    What a fun addition to your yard! Clever, imaginative and entertaining for children AND adults!

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      Thank you!!

  4. gardendevas 04/05/2022

    Delightful,

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      Thank you!!

  5. CTpat 04/05/2022

    What a great job you've done! Passing sidings and everything. What gauge is the railway--HO or O? It looks like HO from the photos, but everything outside is so much bigger than inside it's hard to tell.

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      Thank you!! It’s actually G scale 1:29. It’s all battery operated and run using a remote.

  6. User avater
    simplesue 04/05/2022

    Oh wow, so clever and creative!
    Great combination of two hobbies- gardening and trains!

  7. wadeck82 04/05/2022

    Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate it.

  8. sheila_schultz 04/05/2022

    The perimeter of your backyard has become a miniature playground. This is so much fun and I have no doubt that your backyard railway will continue to grow and change over the years to the delight of everyone that gets to enjoy your creativity! I love it!

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      Thank you!!

  9. wildthyme 04/05/2022

    I LOVE train gardens!!! Thank you for sharing. One of our local nurseries used to have a wonderful train garden that wound through a 2000 sq. ft, area right in the center of the nursery and I used to spend hours watching the train (as I shopped of course!). Wonderful!

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      That’s awesome!! Thank you!

  10. nicki_s 04/05/2022

    This is so charming!

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      Thank you!!

  11. btucker9675 04/05/2022

    So much fun - made me feel like a kid again!

    1. wadeck82 04/05/2022

      That’s what it’s all about. Thank you!!

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