Pat, thank you for your photo. I like the appearance of the uphill tree configuration. The scene gives me something to follow for a hill that I plan to "forest" in the next few days.
My layout is way too big to use anything other than puff ball trees except in a few foreground scenes. A couple of different ways to do them, I am still perfecting my technique. Plenty of photos at: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/page/1/ppuser/8745/sl/c and http://s527.photobucket.com/albums/cc354/ClinchValley/ See ya Larry http://www.youtube.com/user/ClinchValleySD40
Supertrees are nice, but for the cost and the amount of work, you might as well go out and collect and dry the weeds yourself. Assuming your ambalatory enough to. As for puffballs, I think they are good when edged with better trees and are best in n and z scale. I also like the idea of alternating with lichen. I alway prefer innovative home made solutions. wire armature, puffballs and lichen done well will always get kudos from me.
What Scale? I'd say any. Supertrees, or as I said finding and drying your own weeds would look good if transitioned appropriately. WS trees could also work well. You might consider simply using better foliage/flock on both the puffballs and foreground trees such as http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SF93023 Really, I'd just experiment and see what you like.
Well, I plan on having all my future layouts set in May, unless I model Conrail, where it will be in the dead of winter,in a blizzard, but back on subject I'll need light and dark greens.
This is a great thread and very timely for me, as I'm doing my first layout scenery now on a layout that's going on display in a week. Educational to say the least! I'm having good results with puffballs mixed with WS tress on the edges with some edging made of clump turf as well. Would love to go 100% super trees but I'd also like to buy a $300 loco about every other week or so. Neither is happening! My next personal layout will be done in fall colors. My favorite time of the year so why not?
Now is a good time of year to walk through abandoned lots and wild areas looking for good material for tree trunks. I'd take advantage of it. You can also look into wire armature trees. Supertrees are an expensive shortcut. Nothing wrong with them, but you can trade time for money and do it all on your own. All you really need to buy from the hobby shop is the flocking.
Then let your Keyboard do the walking. Scenic express has all your "not woodland Scenics needs covered http://www.scenicexpress.com/
