Right as I am not at work and have been ordered by the doctor to relax I have done a bit on HOOGY, I have started the orchard.

I have slapped some sand texture gel around the bases of the tree stands, this is so that they do not look as raised.
Any bit that is a bit sticky-outy I will paint as roots.

I have painted the trunks brown and the leaves green but am pondering how best to flock the trees as I want them to look less like lead so they fit in with the trees in my woods and the 3 trees on the HOOGY farm base itself.

(the trees are resting on something unrelated to project HOOGY)

I have a good feeling these 2 weeks off will see HOOGY finished!!  Huzzah!!

More to come.

Got distracted by the ornamental gardens…

Have painted the exterior walls, again brick by brick making them mostly the one colour but picking out a few in slightly different shades (so slightly different that you can not see them all in the images)

Then decided to paint the pathways in the garden, they are a gravel style.
Now whilst a lot of posh gardens have chalky paths to look pretty I have decided that for a farmhouse where they clearly have lots of grey stone around I will do them in light grey.

I also carefully removed ny homemade balsa walls and replaced them with some walls by Irregular Miniatures, much nicer.

Painted some brown on the trees too.

WALLS

GARDEN

WHOLE THING

taking shape now.

Just a small update as I have been busy doing customer orders. sheesh!!

I have decided to do the Irregular lead trees by flocking them.
Here is the first coat of 2 colours, the next one will be lighter and a different texture.

I have dabbed the recessed areas with green paint and dipped the wet trees in a flock box.
Once dry I will dab the protruding areas and apply the lighter flock.

The orchard base has been painted brown and washed and highlighted, I have tried to avoid painting the tree roots yet as these will be finished in the same colour as the actual tree trunks.

Hope to get some more work done tomorrow.

have done some work on the orchard, some brown flock near the roots. Tufts in between the trunks where the grass gets trodden on less. (these tufts are the same as the ones used on the main house - silflor) I have added 2 shades of woodland scenics green to the grouns as a base covering.

Next will be adding some of the short strand seasonal grass as sold on the website.

The trees are also flocked in the 3 tone scheme, images will follow soon.

Cheers!

It is a labour of love no doubt.

The orchard floor is done, I have added Hay and Summer flock from the AB website as well as a bit more brown hornby flock.

I was inspired by 6milphils orchards and wanted to copy that trodden down path look between the trees:

http://6milphil.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/dont-sit-under-the-apple-tree-with-anyone-else-but-me/

Here is my take on it:

Just the trees themselves next…