Normandy Bocage diorama

[AlanG]

Well i've taken the plunge and ordered some seafoam. Not exactly cheap is it? But i should hopefully get 36 small sized branches out of it. Enough for this dio at least.

In the meantime whilst i try and figure something out with the gate, i've went ahead and added a little bit of colour to the scene. Given the time period of the Normandy bocage battles, it was summer, which means flowers. So i've have added a little yellow and pink to the scene (glue is still drying hence why you see it)

[minitnkr]

Gardening coming on nicely.

[Tim Marlow]

Nice work on the greenery Alan. Especially like the tree shapes because they’ll frame the model really well.

[AlanG]

Cheers Paul & Tim. Having some fun with this one. Having looked at pictures of the bocage i recall quite a bit of it had over-hanging trees so to make the lanes quite dark and uncomfortable. They must have been very intimidating to go down knowing you could be attacked at any point and you had no room to manoeuvre.

[AlanG]

Few more added

[GerryW]

Something to bear in mind is that there's a 'hiatus' of flowers during June/July/early summer (known to beekeepers as the 'summer gap' - no flowers = no pollen) so don't go too overboard with the flowers
Also, trees will reach over the road at just above the regular traffic height (probably would be a hay/straw cart in the area?)

[AlanG]

Dandelions don't know what a hiatus is if my lawn is anything to go by lol

But i've added enough at the front of the dio for now. The rear still needs some work but that is for a different part well later on

[Jim R]

Hi Alan
That is looking excellent. What are you using for the flowers?
Jim

[AlanG]

Spending the morning cleaning up the branches ready for the seafoam (when it arrives) and painting. slow process but i have Wardruna, Eivor and Heilung playing away in the background. Nice and chilled

[adt70hk]

Coming on nicely Alan.

ATB.

Andrew

[AlanG]

Hi Alan
That is looking excellent. What are you using for the flowers?
Jim

Timberline Scenery fine foam scatter

[AlanG]

From this next pic you'll see that i have cut the lollipop sticks out to a rough length ready for the end bits to be fitted. Those end bits have just been made out of the twig you see above. Took about an hour to cut and sand to required dimensions but it was free wood and a little exercise for my bingo wings. Now to sand/cut the 'planks' to the required length then glue in place

[JR]

Looking good Alan .

Flowers look good and certainly add another dimension to the dio. Watching with interest esp the trees with the seafoam .

[AlanG]

Painting bramble (blackberry) bushes

[AlanG]

Not the final position but i think once i get some small leaves on them i think they'll pass for some bramble canes/bushes