Posted By Wendell Hanks on 04/27/2008 12:00 PM
To all:
Todd and Linda Brody have a superb garden railroad. They are very active members of the SoCalif. Garden RR Society. Those garden enthusiasts attending were not disappointed!
Here's the big question: What did members of the Tustin Garden Club Tour say to either Todd or Linda?
Any encouraging responses from those attending?
1 - Were few even aware of garden railroading?
2 - Did any ask Todd or Linda:
How? what is the cost? Can you leave it outside? Maintenance?
Was your garden WITH a railway a main attraction on the tour? Were you the ONLY family with the RR on the tour???
If 600 will attend, how many other garden clubs are there whose members have yet to ask? Have yet to see?
Does the large scale-outdoors industry ever strategically cater to those who already have 50% of the project in their yard: a devotion to gardening?
My answer is no.
Our SoCal group membership used to be a steady 250 families -- now it has dropped to 120+. Gas? Distances to drive? all are given reasons. Yet,
600 attending a tour stop at a home with a garden RR-- incredible good source for people half-way interested in annimating their yard.
Todd, thanks for the report. Please offer more that might be encouraging to those trying to increase LS interest and club memberships.
Wendell
In this case, the crowd is primarily (~95+%) well-to-do women "advanced in years" though there were certainly plenty of "trophy wives." The Tustin Garden Club told us that they did have an inordinantely high percentage of men compared to their past events, because of the announcement of the railroad. Recognize that the four gardens (five with an optional $50 lunch at a georgeous view home) were open on a Thursday between 10:00 a.m. an 3:0 p.m. when most people are at work.
Few if any had seen anything like this before. Many asked if they could bring their husbands back to see the railroad and we put them on our invitation list.
Dozens inquired into whether it stayed out all the time, what was waterproof, etc. and many were interested in the miniature plantings. Several inquired into cost, and most thought it would cost a lot more than it did (but probably would if built now). All loved the various vingettes!
As far as I'm concerned, that's what most people want to see in a garden railroad. A well thought-out series of vinettes, each telling a story. The trains provide the interconnecting link from story to story and things should be plausible. Most people don't seem to care if its a passenger or freight train, or a diesel or a steam engine, so long as it provides movement through the garden (though it is nice to have at least a few cars behind the engine).
Two or three women did mention that they had similar trains (LGB) and one in Temecula said that she had intentions of building a garden railroad, especially now. I told her to contact me if she had any questions.
One gentleman who did attend summed it up best..., "If you've smelled one rose..., but this is quite different!"
