Introduction

Most dioramas require some sort of vegetation, whether it’s a lone tree, a patch of grass or some flowers, so finding what works is the trick. A variety of different mediums have been used, some with success, some not quite so. Eduard have entered this market with Photo Etch vegetation, all of which are pre-coloured.

Contents

This set is packed in the now standard Eduard plastic sleeve, with a cardboard backing to protect the one brass fret, and the one instruction sheet.

the review

The fret holds six different types of flowers, and not being a florist/botanist, I can possibly only identify two types: dandelions and poppies. All of the flowers, leaves and stalks are pre-coloured on both sides, and are quite matt in appearance. Most of the plants are a multi-part affair, with the stalks needing to be glued onto the leaf bases. Five types of wildflowers also need their flowers glued to the top of the stems, with the tips of those stems first folded to give them thickness and a gluing point.

The butterflies come in two types— there are about 17 with wings outstretched, and 11 with wings folded. The wings of the butterflies are painted in three distinct schemes: one set of brown and black markings on each wing, white and black, and full blue. Each butterfly has a dark central area for the body. These are absolutely tiny, so extreme care will need to be taken when removing them from the fret.

The biggest flower is about a half inch tall (1 3/4 cm) with the smallest about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm). The instructions are printed in the black & white line drawings, and are easy to follow with each type of flower having its own build sequence. Folding and optional parts are highlighted by symbols.

Building the flowers

Building each type of flower took me about 15 minutes, most of that time being spent trying to get the glue to hold, as the gluing area is tiny. The actual build process isn't difficult, but as the parts, especially the flowers, are very small and delicate, you do have to handle them with care. The use of a magnifying glass, two tweezers and three pairs of hands helps, LOL. I found twisting and bending the leaves on the stalks and bases does give the plant a more realistic look.

conclusion

If you need flowers for only a small area, then these are ideal, but if you intend for a field full of flowers, then you are better off finding another way, as to do a field full of wildflowers with this set it will take forever. I think you would go insane! The butterflies are a nice touch, and do add interest when placed on the flowers (see photo).