Train Your Garden

Ongoing improvement requirements on the WESL along with the advent of an upcoming garden celebration have dictated the necessity of incorporating lineside flora to accompany WESL’s mechanical fauna.

Care in floral selection is key; plantings should remain in scale appropriate for nearby structures and other railway accoutrements.

Above: toward the rear of this raised bed, 2 dwarf mugo pines bracket both the fire tower as well as the Pony Express office. In the center, a dwarf arborvitae anchors the town of Red River. These plants were chosen for their slow, low growing characteristics but will still need periodic pruning to maintain correct size and shape.

Above: a closer look at the dwarf mugo pines and Pony Express office.

Above: A pair of dwarf arborvitae brace the hills of Way Out West.

Other plantings included juniper, rhododendron, dwarf mugo pine, and dwarf Alberta spruce in the central bed. The red petals are from the large Camelia bush over the central bed.