# graveyard filler?



## screaminscott (Oct 13, 2006)

ANyone have any suggestions on how to add 'filler' to a graveyard? It always seems like I have a lot of tombstones until I put them up in the yard.. Then the cemetery just looks too empty. Other than making a lot more tombstones, what can I do to fill in the empty space?


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Do you have any props; static or animated? Think of what goes good with a graveyard on Halloween. We use zombie figures in ours;



















What about old tree branches to add a look of neglect and some creep factor? Add some Spanish moss to them for added effect



















This is the witch scene we did last year, using dead tree stumps, skeletons, vultures, bones and lots of small props in between the few stones we put out.


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## matrixmom (Aug 20, 2011)

Add in candles (fake ones) and lots of dead large branches, crows, dig in a shovel, make a fresh grave.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

From what I've seen on this forum, meticulously lighting your graveyard would be the best thing. 

A nice touch to a fresh grave would be a beat up lantern with a fake tealight burning. Fake rocks also work. 

Would some jack-o-lanterns be suitable?


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

All good suggestions stated above.
I don't have a lot of stones because I don't have the storage room. 
I also use the dead leaves that have fallen from my trees as filler.
I use it to cover up line cords and hide the ground lighting that I have throughout my graveyard. Exercise caution when using dried leaves against hot lights so they don't catch fire.

Some of the lighting I use is hooked up to a lightning box and a second audio track with just thunder & lightning sounds. The leaves hide the lighting but makes the ground glow under the leaves when lightning strikes. Its a wicked cool effect.
Did I mention chilled fog as additional filler?


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Remember tha you don't have to make all of your "stones" super detailed, adding in some smaller stones with little or no inscription into the back rows lets you fill your cemetery and keep the focus on the stones with the messages. THe lighting and other props can be a real help too. A lot depends upon what kind of look and atmosphere you want. You can make simple headstones from cardboard, foam, pavers, wood, etc.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Spacing your stones a little closer can help. Just pretend no one taller than 5 feet is buried in your yard

We have about 30 stones for our display and "accessorize" with lanterns, bones, skellies, static props, animated props, and whatever leaves Mother Nature has dropped in time for Halloween. Take a look at our video of last year's display for how this works:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=38314


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## Chuck (Oct 10, 2009)

Like jdubbya said, tree branches always work well in giving it that neglected look. 
I always grab tree branches and fill the yard with them. I have a 1in wood dowel that shaved down to a point. I pound that into the ground about 6in and then pull it out. This leaves a great little hole to place the branch into to stand upright. You could always wiggle the dowel around to make the hole wider if the branch is too big.


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## CrazedHaunter (Nov 18, 2012)

An old wheelbarrow full of dirt and bones, branches , leaves...


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## ATLfun (Oct 12, 2012)

Two or three full size figures really helps with space and to tell a story. And a larger piece like a crypt or above ground tomb could be signature piece.


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## tjc67 (Jul 28, 2013)

For the more "authentic" look, consider the various things people leave at real cemeteries- flowers (dead looks better), photos, candles( I use the fake candles to draw focus to certain tombstones), stones,coins. 

To simulate a fresh grave, I took the left over "good" dirt my wife had gotten for her flowerbeds and mounded it up in the shape of a grave. After Halloween was over, I just spread it out over the lawn since the soil is so poor here. 

I also drove a stake into the ground at heart "height" on my Dracula tombstone.

I get leaves from my neighbors to cover my cords but they invariably blow away on Halloween.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

While all these suggestions are awesome I tend to look at things artistically - less is more. What's important are the little details. Fewer stone more small detail fillers. Every stone doesn't need a zombie or groundbreaker coming out of it. But little things like maybe a pumpkin or two near stones. Or as someone else suggested, candles. Broken sticks, vines, and branches. Spider webbing is good as well but be careful not to overdo it. I'd go for a hotglue web shooter over the bagged stuff. Like I said - less is more. Lonely and desolate are pretty creepy IMHO.









_Faegoria 2013_

The space around the tree in our front yard is roughly 50'x25'. In it are 3 large stones, a crypt, a pedestal, a small obelisk, and 2-3 small stones in the back to add a sense of depth. And this year I'm putting even less out.









_Faegoria 2012_


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## ATLfun (Oct 12, 2012)

Photo's look great terrormaster. I personally like the last photo without the netting/scare fabric on the fence. It just seems to provide cleaner sight lines to the real action. Though the props in 2013 seemed grander.

The garage cover-up in 2013 was a nice touch, but I also liked the cornstalks towards the rear in 2012 plus the crickety wood fence in the back.

Just goes to show that what we do is really art in way, and everybody eyes are drawn to different aspects.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

I agree with Terrormaster.
Of course my opinion is because I have less...which is more....ahhhh, yeah...more.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

_*Something that I've learned over the years when planning a haunt is, "Balance!" What I mean by that is having the right amount of whatever it is your trying to present in your haunt. As you doing a graveyard which I assume is a walk by?

The right balance is in lighting, where you position your headstones, adding little things like autumn leaves placed around areas throughout the graveyard. Maybe having some open caskets lying around with decomposed bodies falling out of them. Using a fog machine, and adding music to your haunt.

You might consider to have some of your friends play certain parts or characters, hanging around the yard haunt scaring people. There are lots of things you can do to increase the excitement of your yard haunt. Some of them might cost some money, others can be at no cost at all. It's just up to you on what you want to do!

There are a lot of post here on HF, and I would suggest to check out some of the albums posted on here. There are some really great pictures on here that can give you some really great ideas! Good Luck!
*_


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

To add to Troll Wizard's comments, let the grass grow long, it helps you hid hoses and such, and also helps make the scene look more realistic. It's tough to sell the idea of an old, forlorn cemetery if the grass is neatly mowed and trimmed. It just doesn't mix with the branches and leaves being there.


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## highbury (Nov 5, 2009)

It's all in the accents! Depending on where you live, use fallen leaves throughout with uncut grass (I let mine grow all October!). Spanish moss is a REALLY great accent to hang throughout, too. I also use PVC candles (sometimes in groupings of 2 or 3), a shovel for a new grave, some bones scattered throughout, urns with fake flowers, cobwebs, crows and witch jars (old, dirty glass jars with tea lights strung from branches)...


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## matrixmom (Aug 20, 2011)

Terrormaster said:


> While all these suggestions are awesome I tend to look at things artistically - less is more. What's important are the little details. Fewer stone more small detail fillers. Every stone doesn't need a zombie or groundbreaker coming out of it. But little things like maybe a pumpkin or two near stones. Or as someone else suggested, candles. Broken sticks, vines, and branches. Spider webbing is good as well but be careful not to overdo it. I'd go for a hotglue web shooter over the bagged stuff. Like I said - less is more. Lonely and desolate are pretty creepy IMHO.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Totally agree - and dont light everything, sometimes add the light behind a cool shape of a stone.


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## Walpurgis (Apr 21, 2014)

I've had luck with simple yard stake crosses. Not every stiff can afford a stone marker. They take half a second to make and distressing is as simple as hammering it in the ground slightly askew.


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## craftylilwitch (Sep 30, 2010)

I love the idea of adding very large tree branches, I don't have and trees in my yard so this will be great.


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## Darkwalker (Jul 4, 2010)

These are all great suggestions. Last year I had the same problem on one side of my Cemetery. I made sure to blow all the leaves into the graveyard and just let the grass grow all month. That (along with candles, figures and cobwebs) helped a lot. This year I'll do the same but I'll add brush and tree limbs to add to the effect of overgrowth and neglect.


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