"Artificial Grass from 99 cent Store" Topic

While getting sundries at a 99 Cent store I took a look around in other parts of the store in the hopes of finding stuff that could be used in miniature gaming. They carry (for the summer) 10" squares of plastic grass of about four different types. One is ordinary grass, the second is
dichondra-like link a third is aloe vera-like, but with broader leaves and no serrations link and the fourth is an odd cross between holly leaves and pine needles.

The foliage is cast in mixed green plastic giving it a pre-shaded look, with lighter green near the edges of the leaves. They are similar in appearance to aquarium plants. The foliage is loosely attached to an open grid, from which the leaves can easily be removed if desired. Compared to a 28mm Wargames Factory ashigaru and GW Space Marine, the "plants" while still attached to the grid just top the figures' heads.

Price per square is $1.00 USD. For me this is a lucky find as I was looking for cheap jungle foliage and I thought I'd have to go to Petco, which is reasonable, but still more than $1.00 USD a pop!

Of course, if this goes like most of my terrain projects, I'll never actually make the jungle-covered ruins and so I won't really need this artificial grass after all!

Nice find! My daughter's preschool class had some of those but I could never find them at the 99 Cent store.

Her teachers said I could take them, but that was too low even for a scrounging wargamer like me. :D

Isn't it a bit too big for anything but 28mm?

Isn't it a bit too big for anything but 28mm?

Most jungle plants are much taller than just above the head. I would think 15mm would sit in them quite nicely. Smaller scales than 15mm usually have figures on larger bases which might be a problem…

@darthfozziwig: 99 Cent stores are pretty random, even among their regular items. Maybe if you try again in a month's time something suitable will be there. Or if you wait even longer … Someone else in this forum suggested going to Michael's and other craft stores for discounted Christmas villages and foliage at the New Year's.

It only happened once, but at one of those Asian trinket stores (the ones that sell assorted statues, vases, incense, etcetera) I found resin lawn sculptures that looked vaguely like Olmec stone heads, although with goofy expressions. As the goofy did not bother me and they were only a dollar each … instant terrain. So when in that mall I usually stop by that store to see if anything will turn up.

@Dan 055: It really depends on what you'd need. How large and dense is the growth desired for the terrain feature? For mine, these plants are a bit small. This Mayan city is the idea of what I'm going for link but on a small scale (the rules call for 2-3 7" x 7" sections of mixed ruins and jungle (the plants having broken through the paving stones of the city). This is what I have in mind: link
This one is evocative:

As etotheipi speculated, they'd work well with 15mm as now the figures would be under the jungle canopy.

I see – I was looking to use them as crops. I have some of their "grass". It makes great corn fields.