Of course landscaping helps a lot. I like to make sure many steps walkways and roads are in place. You can practice with as little as a few buckets of sand on a table to Just remember to use the tools. Your hands will not make such straight lines. Remember only remove thin shavings of sand at a time or the sand will crack and crumble.
Textures are also important.
Fluffed wet sand will make rough hillside but fluffed dry sand will make more gentle grassy field land. Combed sand will make fields of vegetables and sand flattened by spatula will make roads sidewalks and other man made surfaces. One can even comb the sides of walls many kinds of teeth can be impressed into walls or even roofs to give a texture of little roof tiles. I make little pine trees by hand. Trees can then often be moved at that point if you are careful to hold them correctly and can be set close to walls and other trees to make a very natural looking scene.