The Protector-created in honor of Mother's Day by George Weaver
The first time I became aware of George and his Pennsylvania garden was when he posted some photos on Flea Market gardening of his huge sculptures, using metal and stone. That made many of us sit and take notice! Take a longer look and see what you think, too.
Out standing in his field…
“Welcome to my gardens,” George says. “They are located in a rural area of Central Pennsylvania. There are two separate properties. The first one is the one acre where my house sits. With the help of my wife Patty we maintain flower beds and a lot of potted plants. There is a small salad garden with lettuce, onions and some tomato plants. I also have a large collection of stones, some that I have added rusty treasures that I have found along the way.”
“This is also where my junk shed is located. Now that I have found Flea Market Gardening’s Facebook page and with the help of some friends on there I now lovingly refer to the shed as my “Art Supply Shed.””
“The second area, 7.7 acres, is a short walk away along the main road. This is where the main vegetable garden is located. I grow corn, strawberries, potatoes, rhubarb, squash, carrots, sunflowers, melons and what ever strikes my fancy.”
“This is where my helper Marty comes in, he holds my hose and does other helpful tasks around the garden. Marty was created over 30 years ago from a scrap pile from the farm where I grew up.” Marty took part in a raucous adventure last St Patrick’s Day, documented here on our website. Shocking!
George explains, “When my wife and I purchased this property it was a large overgrown field bordering a stream. My father, a farmer, advised me not to buy it because it contained too many stones to be productive.”
Stone Wall, when finished,…a paradise…see George?? He says, ” This is my vantage point from where I can relax and enjoy the stone wall and garden.”
“This large garden area has allowed me to be creative in growing plants and making yard art. With a large amount of stones at my disposal I started making sculptures and stacking them around the property. I have also landscaped with flea market and auction finds.”
George’s brick walk, “The brick walk come from 2000 bricks I purchased at an auction for $100 it wraps around the house to the back patio,” he explains
“My interest in stones and gardening led me to search the internet for some creative ideas . I came across some interesting sites on stacking stones and growing moss. Through this search is when I came across the FMG page. I was delighted to find so many people with an interest in repurposing junkola ( another term learned from FMG.) Finding these sites has inspired my creativity as I built more stone walls and added more treasures. I have been inspired in so many ways it is hard to decide what project to start next,” says George.
Here are some more views of George’s garden and some of his projects.
“I like to experiment with plants,” George says. “I could not resist growing my own Bamboo canes for use around the garden. I know bamboo is an invasive species but I have carved a Giant Panda to keep a watchful eye on its growth.”
“Some of my hibiscus from a few years ago the red one did not come back the multi color one is thriving.”
George’s garden, “In the wooded areas of my property I encourage the growth of wild flowers and woodland plants. Some of the plants are ferns, trillium, Jack in the Pulpit, tiger lilies, black raspberry and mosses.”
“The way I did this was to set the frying pan face down on a piece of firewood . I hung a jug in a tree over it . I put a pin size hole in the jug so the water would drip on the bottom and form icicles . When it was formed I set it right side up on the brass vase and put some water on it so it froze together,” says George.
“This is a how to photo of my Bell project. I drilled the stone for concrete fasteners to attach the old Iron wagon rim. The bell was on a rotten wood beam that I removed. I fabricated a steel ring to attach the bell and the eye bolt together. The rim was drilled and the eye bolt with bell was assembled.”
Thanks so much, George for letting us all in on a bit of your life there in your corner of Pennsylvania. You are a valuable, creative member of our group and always inspirational! ~~ Sue
Here is George’s latest work:
See all of George’s photos:
View Comments
Love, love, love your stone paradise!!! Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
Loved the tour of your farm George and knew the minute I met you on FMG we'd have a lot in common. I so admire your talents and contributions to FMG and enjoy your friendship and humor, and Marty's too of course! I love your Art Supply Shed, you truly are a Master Yardist! If only your Father could see what you've done with the stones! Beautiful work!
I remember the winter design winner.I studied it a while before figuring it out
George Weaver, there are so many things I want to say about you. First of all, your rock formations just fascinate me. Second, I love the rock and rust projects you put together, third you have the best supply of rocks in the nation for using in creative purposes, fourth your art supply shed is just to die for, and last but not least I certainly envy the large supply of moss you seem to have growing everywhere.
One of these days I am going to visit Pa and stuff priority boxes with rust, moss and rocks, and mail them to myself. Bet they get home before I do. I love all that you do George and you add another very strong layer (of rocks) to our Flea market gardening lifestyle. Thank you for being so glad to share you little slice of heaven with all of us.
George, you & your wife are very busy gardeners! Wow, I loved the tour & living on an acreage myself, I know that there is always, always something to do! I love your rock wall, of course, that is just awesome! But I really enjoy your sculptures & I was struck w/the beauty when you 1st posted the rock, bell & metal pc! Your 'art supply shed' looks like an inspiring place! Thanks so much for joining in the FMGing group ...great ideas & pics!
Glad that Sal and I can call you and Marty our friends. Enjoy all you stone masterpieces and I am so very glad you found FMG, too. Love how you added a blue bottle tree to the wall. With the wild flowers, potted flowers, and vegetable gardens--plus building your stone wall you are very busy. Great to get to know you better, thanks for sharing your story.
George, thanks for sharing a bit of your world with us, and great job FMG in bringing this to us! We have all been enjoying your work for quite a while. Your whimsical creativity style is inspiring! All I can ask is...... What's next?
Thank you for sharing your piece of heaven with us. You have to be so proud of all you have done . So much work, but I can see it was a labor of love. Can't wait to see your next project!
Hey George, so glad to hear from you and Marty & have the opportunity to visit/view your rocky mountain again. These are some of the most clever creations I have seen... the stone, bell & rim are just magnificent, the humor added to each and every project you create is so inspiring.. I love your Art Supply Shop out in the middle of nowhere. I think you also have a huge stone - a birdbath, that you added some blue bottles - I believe at the time I thought they made the huge stone look like a sailing vessel (or maybe I have you confused with someone else, or maybe just with Marty)... jk When I was working on my BOAT project, I kept thinking about that huge rock and thinking that would have been so much easier to work with - of course getting one to my back yard could pose a problem. I also love the brick walkway you built to wrap around your home. If Becky Shaul Norris comes to see you and stuffs some boxes mailed to herself in OK, she best watch out, those boxes will have to make their way through Arkansas before they get to Oklahoma. Thanks for all your inspiration and for sharing the corner of the World you and your wife call home.. and please, say 'Hey' to Marty... :))
I love your gardens and stone scuptures,the stone wall is amazing !! I love how we all take the "Junkola" and use it to fit our gardens and lifestyle with what we have learned from this wondeful page. I have met so many interesting friends there and I am glad you are one of them !!