His garden is a railway - Grover Devine

Sunset, July, 1989

It's a child's dream come true in Grover Devine's unique Hayward, California, back garden: he has transformed the entire area into a model railway.

This is not just child's play, however; it's an engrossing hobby one shared by an increasing number of gardeners. Dwarf plants, and ones easily kept small with pruning, form a living backdrop for Mr. Devine's #1-gauge (1/2-inch-scale) live steam train, which is powered by butane and directed by radio control. The plants

Most of the trees in Mr. Devine's garden are dwarf white spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica'), but there are also two smallleafed Japanese maples (Acer palmatum?) and two Catlin elms (Ulmus parviolia 'Catlin'). Other plants include dwarf pomegranate (Punic-a granatum 'Nana'), dwarf golden arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis 'Aureus'), and dwarf Japanese cryptomeria (C. japonica 'Pygmaea').

Thyme is trimmed into small hedges, and several dwarf boxwoods act as miniature trees and shrubs. Boxwoods include Japanese (Buxus microphylla japonica 'Compacta') and English (B. sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'). Ground covers are creeping fig (Ficus pumila), blue star creeper (Laurentia fluviatilis), jewel mint of Corsica (Mentha requienii), and green carpet (Herniaria glabra).

Trees and shrubs are trimmed regularly, and thinned as needed to keep thens compact but not overly dense.

The railway Trains like Mr. Devine's are available from many hobby shops. A basic starter set (locomotive, two cars, and simple loop of track) costs $200 to $300 for live steam, $120 for electric.

The durable tracks can even take snowy winters. In rainy weather, all the model buildings are brought indoors.

Where to start If you want to try creating a miniature landscape, you don't have to be as ambitious as Mr. Devine. Many people start with just a small section of the garden, such as a planting bed. You might even want to experiment with dwarf plants for their own effect before you consider making the commitment to a model railway.

For more information, a magazine-Garden Railways (Box 61461, Denver 80206; $18 a year for six issues)--is devoted to