Hi,
I Wish to create a chunck of the Norman hedgy stuff in a new dio 1/35 love to know how to get the best results.

Regards Kev.

Is this what you are looking for? This is my solution for hedgerow country. The materials I use are natural, the are from a company here in the US called Sweetwater.

http://www.sweetwaterscenery.com/

For a base I use their sagebrush tree structure. For the smaller branches I have used house hold scratch pads (for washing dishes) or a furniture finishing pad. They are a fibourous manmade pad that can be pulled apart and used to simulate the smaller branches and stems for leaves. Glue those to the base tree, (paint the pad a suitable treeish color). Next I use dried herbs (I like and use parsley, or thyme, parsley flakes are cheaper) for the leaves. I use a spray adhesive, I coat that generously then sprinkle the parsley flakes until I am satisfied with the look.

For a different look, or type of hedge, I will also use static grass if I want to achieve a "sticker" bush. The biggest thing to making your hedge row is diversity of the "plant life". Those hedges in France are different from the English hedges... They really need to look absolutly impenetrable, so don't be affraid to cram it full of all kinds of "plants",shrubs, vines, and trees. If I can be of further assistance please let me know...

Paul

This is really nice Paul, thanks..
There was a SBS threat about this kind of bocage. The main material was steel wool (from kitchen just like Paul's dish washing scratch pads)... I searched it in the forums but couldn't find it.. The idea is almost the same..

Paul, that looks great, and I second the request for a Step By Step on your technique.

Thanks Paul just what the Doctor ordered

Thanks for the tip.

Pauls' dio pics are really what I envisage the bocage country to be like... I think variety is the key... Seen many smaller plants also, including ferns etc.
Hope this pic helps some, especially with the road surface and canopy cover...


Cheers
Brad

This illustration comes from The US Army History institue, Combat lesson Number 4. This is the best illustration I have seen that describes the hedgerows of Normany.


The way I build my hedgerows...

1 I start with a mound of Sculptimold

2 Shape it in a mound, reflecting the shape in the illustration above

3 I paint the mound with a ground color of house hold latex paint

4 Next, I start my ground cover by using presifted dirt from my backyard. I use woodland scenics, mixed with a little white glue.

5. I start layering the whole area with static grass, and taller "planted" grasses.You can do this by punching holes and plant it in clumps, but I also use a technique of covering the ground with a thicker soultion of WS and white glue precolored with the latex paint to give a more natural look.

6 Then I add my ferns, small weeds, flowers, the midsize plant life. When I am satisfied with the look them I start adding the taller stuff and use a variety of "bushes" some are thin and some heavier woody style like I mentioned in my early post of the sweetwater materals following the method mention earlier.

7 When I have completed the construction of the "bushes" I plant them by drilling holes in the mound. You have to go back and make some touch ups.

8 Now the taller trees which, I make all different sizes. Sweetwater has different sized sage brush "trees" they range in size 2" to a12" or even some taller. The taller trees I add wire or other natural growths (dried roots are good) to them for the finer branches. Dill holes into the tree base and glue in the "branches". If I use wire branches I use an acrylic base putty to texture the wire frames as well as the tree to create a variety of tree bark types. Add leafs, many products can be used here... Herbs, flock, PE (expensive) choose what you like best and fits your budget...

9 Drill holes for the trees and again glue them in securely by pinning them with heavy wire or even nails.

At some point when I am finished with my Carentan project I fully intend to do a feature of this technique... Hope this help you all for now...

Paul