Long grass on embankments

[crab]

Can anyone suggest a realistic way to cover large embankment areas with long grass? Looking at old photos the embankments were usually covered in long grass from a fence at the top of the slope down to the track. The only grass mats I've seen look too thinly grassed, plus when the mat is applied to a 30 or 40 degree slope, the grass isn't going to be vertical anymore! I need to cover about 10 metres of embankment so I want it to look good.

Cheers
Crab

[Zunnan]

The cheapest way is probably hanging basket liner, although I've seen much better results by using buff/tan coloured teddy bear fur that has been patchily dyed light green and then roughly brushed and clumped and then fixed with strong hairspray. The other alternative is to use static grass, but if you buy a proper applicator the cost can be a bit on the high side.

[b308]

I'd have thought that or old car/carpet underlay...

Barry Norman did a superb book on Landscape Modelling which suggests plenty of other ways, and also why each patch of grass or field is "different" despite them all being "grass"... Its called "Landscape Modelling" published by Wild Swan...

[crab]

Sorry for the delay in thanking you for your comments. I think I will try a homemade static grass dispenser as it seems the most realistic.
Cheers
crab

[thebritfarmer]

Try this, I found it on another form last night.

http://shortlinemodelers.com/forum/grass-weeds-primer

[stuartp]

The Barry Norman method is dyed surgical lint which is extremely effective. Basically you glue it furry side down, wait for it to dry then rip the backing off and titivate it a bit with airbrush, suede brush and scatter etc. The trouble is finding surgical lint these days as it's out of favour as a wound dressing.

[gppsoftware]

I used Heki static grass - the longer type - to achieve this effect very successfully.

Graham Plowman

[SouthernBoy]

I use static grass and one of the cheap 'puffer bottles' (around £4.25).

Hopefully pictures speak for themselves ...
The first two show an embankment which has bare patches where rain has run down and eroded the surface. It still needs some low-level bushes though.





This last picture shows some lawns where I used light and dark grasses and a toothbrush to brush them in opposite directions to give that 'recently mowed garden lawn' effect.



So hopefully those demonstrate you can do quite well on a budget

[Bigglesof266]

I like your work SouthernBoy. The walking path to the shed along the top of the embankment in particular is a very nice touch. Like the natural water fall erosion, it really contributes to what will be a resultant 'living' layout look when all finished. Inspiration and ideas to imitate there.

[SouthernBoy]

Thanks Bigglesof266: Since those pictures I've narrowed the path quite a bit following suggestions it looked a little too wide for a footpath (it was nearly as wide as a car, so more like a country road ). Funny how photos can suddenly give you a whole new perspective on your work.

[crab]

Thanks everyone for your ideas and sorry for the delay in acknowledging them! I might try the static grass applied in cigars or make my own static dispenser.

Cheers
Crab