My simple scarecrow, a ragged revenant tattered from a long season of fickle weather, is ready to be put to rest.
Not that I don’t have other human figures guarding the garden; beyond crop protection, human figures are often used symbolically or as accessories. I have photographed countless faux folks, from classical statuary to contemporary to whimsical, in every great garden and flower show in every corner of the U.S. to five other continents; most are more ornamental than ominous.
Some in my own garden include a somber but cherished statue of St. Fiacre statue, the official patron saint of gardening holding a bouquet in one hand and a spade in the other. I also have a wigged mannequin draped demurely with a cape, two effigies of myself welded from various bits of metal by different artistic friends, a rebar man looming out of my compost, and a scattered, partly-hidden dozen or so antique gnomes scavenged from afar.
Aside, and maybe I should keep this to myself, but as a heads up for someone down the road: I recently had a round backyard deck reworked, but before it was finished we half-buried a realistic, life-size, partially-dressed plastic skeleton underneath; after I am long gone, it should come as quite a surprise to the next person to redo the deck!
Back to scarecrows and their celebratory harvest figure cousins, which hold unique seasonal positions in gardens and folklore. Simply put, one is designed to be threatening, to protect crops; the other is a temporary welcoming reminder of a successful harvest.
From ancient Shinto crop protectors to simple rag-tag armies of scarecrows still used to stand guard over crops in English farms, they all have two things in common: a basic clothed human figure and long, loose arms that flap in the wind.
Not that birds can be fooled for long; I’ve seen birds perched on scarecrows. It takes motion, reflected light, and random noises to keep wildlife alarmed.
Those that aren’t seated or lounging are usually a cross made from an upright post with a shorter shoulders piece. The simplest of all, which I use with children, is a broomstick with a clothes hanger taped near the top, draped with an old long-sleeved shirt or dress, and no legs at all.
No need for trousers or even hands, but it is easy to accessorize with a bandana, fluttering tape on sleeve cuffs, glued-on flowers, strips of plastic, Mardi gras beads hanging from neck and arms, and the like.
Top it off with anything to resemble a head, maybe a small pumpkin or gourd, plastic milk jug, Halloween mask, flower pot, plastic plate, or nylon stocking stuffed with other stockings or plastic bags or Styrofoam peanuts. Create a facial mood with emotions, from cheery to malevolent, using markers, weatherproof paints, glued-on bottle caps, or even a printed photo of the creator’s own face. Finish it with an old straw hat, ball cap, helmet, or broom head, and tuck in faux hair made from hay, raffia, cheap wig, used mop, or thin strips of plastic.
Taking advantage of our tolerance of seasonal yard accessories, making a home-made scarecrow, harvest figure or other temporary yard folk this waning season can be a fun family project. It can be a simple make-do assemblage of old clothes draped on a frame and topped with a rough head and hat, or as sartorially complex as your creative juices can conjure.
Though my garden is peopled all year, the scarecrow has been put away. I’m now looking for a replacement that will scare away squirrels eating my kale!
Felder Rushing is a Mississippi author, columnist, and host of the “Gestalt Gardener” on MPB Think Radio. Email gardening questions to rushingfelder@yahoo.com.
