Way cool in the garden: Creating garden ‘people’

Creating a creative scarecrow for the Flea Market garden

‘Garden people’ start with scarecrows, and then go wild, literally giving your garden personality!  Take a look here, at all the possibilities, when you create a garden person.  You may get the feeling that you’re being watched!

Scarecrows in the shape of a human which is dressed in old clothes and placed in fields to discourage birds  from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops. All sorts of fantastical materials, as well as humble ones like terracotta pots, have been used by our Flea Market Gardeners to make up these garden people. These garden people have become more the garden companion garden folly in present times adding frivolity and fun to our gardens.

Stuffed garden lady

Here are some of the  unique ‘people’ from our Flea Market Gardening files:

Beth Nogle says,”This is Ivy. I created Ivy, but she doesn’t like me and is apt to tell you so behind my back! I still have to teach her to cross her legs and keep her knees together. Shudder.

I used the top part of a pair of off-white nylons for her head. Her torso is a pillow tied near one end for a waist. I used an old bra, stuffed for her,… ahem. bosom. The nylon legs of the pantyhose are stuffed with quilt batting for her arms. I couldn’t find …the nice, soft heavy gauge wire I had tucked away for her hands. So, they are just gloved. Her head is stuffed with batting and sewn with white thread. That method always gives me faces that are somewhat of a surprise. 🙂 I painted on her face and accidentally smeared her lipstick.  She hasn’t liked me since.

Her hair is made from the spent flower trusses of an Ocean Spray in my back yard. I’m sure she disapproved.”

 

Tammy Blair-Lack says, “My scarecrow’s head and hat are one piece, which was a chicken feeder. A good friend of mine bought it at an auction in Kansas and gave it to me for my birthday.”

 

Brian Stephan’s scarecrow has his own calendar and is a feature on Brian’s garden blog called Mr B’s Garden.

 

Wood and hardware garden faces

 

Classic flower pot lady

 

 

Lynn Paterson says, “Amazing what an old board, broken pair of glasses and a catcher’s mask can do!”

 

Rusty metal scarecrow

 

Janet Kessinger says, “Introducing Sadie, Sadie, the Garden Lady!  I started out to make a scarecrow, but made Sadie instead. My grandkids love to use her as a guest at their tea party.   My neighbor’s four year old kisses her goodbye when she leaves my farm!  Even have a wardrobe for cold weather for her!”

 

Marie Niemann says, “Meet our scarecrow Mr. T., he’s created mostly from 1910 Model T parts. His legs are rear axles and differential gears, and his fingers are axle bearings and he even has a heart. Designed and created by my husband Randy Niemann.

He’s lookin` good for 101 years old.  We had so much fun making him and he’s rusting nicely. He might need a wifey by next year! Tin Lizzie!”

 

 

Linda Lou Miller says,” Why yes you are correct — that is a planter which used to be a Nesco roaster in a church basement.  .. I wasn’t going to cook anything in the roaster so may as well plant in it!  That’s an old pot we hauled home from Mexico years ago….I think she’s kind’a scary looking, but could not get the eyes right when I painted her last year —- her name is “Rosa Linda” and in the winter she lives in our out-house.”

It a wonder that Rosa Linda can maintain her good mood after a Winter in that out-house.  Thanks for sharing all the fantastic garden people ideas..So inspiring! ~~ Sue

 

See more garden people in our Flea Market gardening Facebook album, Meet the Garden People!

Scarecrow Adventures: Warning Wacky Alert!

• Scarecrows visit DC on the 4th of July!
• Scarecrow Adventures on St Paddy’s Day!

Scarecrow Festivals
Many communities around the world celebrate scarecrows during the Fall season.

• Meaford, Ontario, Canada has celebrated the Scarecrow Invasion since 1996. From mid-September to mid-October scarecrows are found everywhere in this small apple town including hanging from lamp posts,posing in parks and sitting on lawns.
• The ‘pumpkin people’ come in the fall months in the valley region of Nova Scotia, Canada. They are scarecrows with pumpkin heads doing various things such as playing the fiddle or riding a wooden horse.