Fearrington Light Railway WOF Home Tour 2019

Fearrington Light Railway

The Route of the Beltie

The Fearrington Light Railway (FLR) is a freelanced subdivision of the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad (SR&RL), an actual 2-foot narrow gauge railroad that operated in northern Maine from the 1880s to 1935. The time period depicted on the FLR is circa 1931. In this schematic drawing, the floor boards have been omitted from the grilling deck (upper left), to show the tracks passing underneath.
We moved into our new home in December of 2016. Work on the railroad began in June of 2017. Paige Moody of Arbor Enterprises built the patio, water feature, and major landscaping. David Mozier of Mozier Builders constructed the grilling deck and the two sets of stairs. Both did a terrific job bringing my design sketches to life. I laid the first loop of track in the fall of 2017. The structures came from my previous garden railroad in PA. All except the steel truss bridge and the wooden turntable bridge were scratch-built by me, based on New England prototypes. They are weatherproof, and remain outdoors year round. I also assembled the full-size foot bridge, from a kit.



Left: Strong, Maine on the SR&RL, circa 1930.    Right: Fearrington Junction on the FLR.

The track is brass, and is supported by gravel ballast, just as on the prototype. All switches are manually operated, also as on the prototype. The engines are radio controlled, and powered by battery or live steam. The steam locomotives burn camp stove fuel (butane/isobutane). Track gauge (the distance between the rails) is 45 mm, aka “Gauge 1.” The scale (ratio between the model and prototype) ranges from 1:24 (1/2” to the foot) to 1:13.7 (7/8” to the foot). For comparison, O scale trains (e.g. Lionel) are 1:48 (¼” to the foot). Plants adjacent to tracks are selected to be “in scale” with the railroad as well, with tiny leaves or needles and overall size, such as creeping juniper, dwarf cedar, and dwarf boxwood, and groundcovers such as sedum, phlox, Scotch moss, and various thymes.
Projects like this are never “finished.” There are always gardening chores to attend to, and I have a list of structures and rolling stock to build, details to add, etc. That said, I have designed the railroad to be as low-maintenance as possible, so that I can enjoy it for as long as possible. I hope you enjoy it as well!
The following article was originally published to Fearrington Light Railway WOF Home Tour 2019 and is republished from Arbor Enterprises. See more on:} https://arborenterprises.com/

Tips for Success in Your Landscape Design in Pittsboro NC

Leading landscape installation company, Arbor enterprises, shares their insights on how to get the most from your landscape installation this Spring.

For homeowners looking to take advantage of the Spring weather and get going with bigger landscaping projects, there are some principles to keep in mind. Using these principles will ensure that the landscape design makes the most of the space available and highlights the natural focal points of a garden.

Arbor Enterprises, one of the best landscape companies in Pittsboro NC, suggests keeping the garden focal points in mind, as well as looking for ways to accent the home, make careful plant selections, add movement and curves and use contrasting colors. It is also important to plan for landscaping equipment access before the landscape design is finalized.

Create Focal Points

The idea of having a focal point is to visually direct one through your garden. When someone looks at your garden, they should be immediately drawn to the focal point, and it should elicit emotions such as surprise, excitement or a sense of calm or beauty. It should vary in form, color or texture from the rest of the garden. It could be a statue, bench, tree or even a view. We have enlisted the services of a mural artist to paint a garden scene on a stucco wall.

Accent the Home

The addition of plants around your home helps soften the edges and can be used to obscure elements that detract from the overall aesthetic nature of a property. Aim for a balance here as overdoing it could lead to a home that looks like it is being hidden by overgrown shrubbery. An effective landscaping design will highlight the best features of a house, whether it is a small starter home or a larger family residence.

Informed Plant Choices

When choosing plants for a garden, it's important to think long-term and make decisions based on the full grown size of a plant. Also bear in mind that while it may be tempting to choose faster-growing plants that reach maturity sooner, they will require ongoing maintenance and pruning. Good spacing between plants will encourage better air circulation to prevent fungal and insect problems, and space between the plants can be filled with annuals.

Add Curves and Movement Rather Than Symmetry

Curves add a sense of interest to a garden's design, and for most homeowners bring a more flexible style. Complement the curves with movement through the introduction of grasses that sway in the breeze and plant flowers and berry producers to attract butterflies and birds.

Arbor Enterprises is a Pittsboro NC landscape company that offers end-to-end solutions for landscape design and landscape installation. Founded in 1991 by Paige Moody, Arbor Enterprises specializes in patio designs, irrigation installation, and design. With a staff of 30 members, we are ready to take on your landscape installation in Pittsboro and surrounding areas, whether big or small. We are passionate about delivering excellent service and have the range of skills and experience to ensure that our clients receive the best landscape design solutions.

 

The following info was first published to Tips for Success in Your Landscape Design in Pittsboro NC and is courtesy of Arbor Enterprises. Read more on:} Arbor Enterprises