Ubungsberg was originally created to be an ovall of track to use for locomotive maintenance. As I used it, I realized that it would also be an ideal candidate for practicing various scenery techniques, both those I had utilized before and those that were new. Thus, it is christened "Ubungsberg", meaning "Mt. Practice" in German.
This overview gives a bird'seye view of the complete extent of Ubungsberg looking from "the front". I tried three different scenery treatment, and tried to represent a season I had not attempted before. I also experimented with different ways of creating surface texture and variety. And I used a material for the rock outcropping that I had never seen used before.
I left the back side "unfinished" so I could take this layout to train shows and show visitors the easy steps that can be used to create a realistic looking landscape.

The "back side" of Ubungsberg which is labeled to show the various steps I employed/tested to created the overall effect:

A - White foam core painted where track will be laid just in case some spots show through ballast.
B - White glue holds oval of track in place, until...
C - ... ballast has been glued in place using standard water/glue mix. I tried 4 different colors of ballast; an Ubungsberg was perfect for testing the different visual effects.
D - Foam layers were glued in place and carved to create the topography. (By the way, wondering what the lone straight piece of N scale track is for? It is powered and allows me to use the Trix N scale wheel cleaner with no modification.)
E - The surface of the foam layers was given three treatments: the right third was covered with plaster cloth...
F - ... the left third was given a thin coat of tile grout and the middle third was simply painted. After testing these methods, I concluded that the plaster cloth created the only good base into which trees could be planted; but for an area with no trees, the grout was very good for sculpting the surface into the topography I wanted, and it remains a bit flexible, so it does not crack like plaster would.
G - My first attempt at creating a styrene road; easy to do and easy to create a curved road. But next time I would use 2 mm styrene instead of 3 mm, as it would be easier to cut.
H - The road was first painted with a gray asphalt color, and then the white lines were painted on. Very easy on the straight section, but getting the curve masked just right was not so easy.
J - Woodland Scenics ground cover materials were applied over the surface and especially to hid the edges of the road.
K - Arbor Time! A plain Woodland Scenics tree armature
L - A tree armature that has gotten a bit of paint to better resemble a real tree truck and then formed into shape.
M - Woodland Scenics Autumn Foliage applied to some of the trees. Others were foliated with Poly Fiber and ground foam and the rest received Foliage Clusters. Having an Ubungsberg was helpful for evaluating different techniques. (In the end, I find the Foliage Clusters to create the best impression.)
N - Bushes and undergrowth added to fill in the landscape,
O - Finally structures, vehicles and people to create a visual story.

An exposed rock outcropping. But not your ordinary rock, nor an expected facsilime.
This is an Washington Coast oyster shell.

A second shell mounted to create the other side of the outcropping. These shells have an amazing detailed surface that provides a real visual treat with no effort.

To create some visual interest, to pique curiosity once the train is "out back" and can not easily be seen (especially by youngsters), and to practice more landscaping techniques including mounting a tunnel portal into a hillside (truthfully -- it was more like building a hill from the portal on back) and creating an interesting cut in front of the portal, Ubungsberg has an obligatory tunnel.

The straighter section of road with a bit of comings and goings. Did you easily notice the seam between the styrene sheets? Or did it take a second look?

(You guessed: The cars are passing over the seam.)

The Restaurant and Gasthaus with arriving guests. There's enough activity here to require an officer for some traffic control.

And, yes... my wife and I did enjoy meals in places along the road like this.

The Restaurant has its own green house for out of season vegetables that can be prepared within minutes of being harvested. Sometimes the chef himself gets the choicest samples for special guests.

A picturesque view through the trees of a passing locomotive. And what a fancy car is stopped at the unrestricted grade crossing!