Garden Art Problem

Hello again everybody! Need some help with a decoration I have in front of my house in my flower beds. Now that everything is going dormant, it is more visible to passers by and it has caused me some trouble. Last year I inherited my Grandpa’s Lawn Jockey. Sadly, it’s causing some offense in my neighborhood. It started around Halloween when some kids dressed it up in ladies undergarments. Another time somebody wrapped it in TP like a mummy. The worst was when they took my little cherub statue…(he’s kind of peeing; my husband likes that one) and placed it so it looks like it’s going on the jockey. I really love this family heirloom and like the way it looks in my garden. I live in the Northeast and that may explain the reaction. Any advice on how to get them to stop? Thanks!

I don't think it has anything to do with being the northeast, kids everywhere do stupid stuff like that if the opportunity presents itself. The best & cheapest solution would be moving it to the backyard or somewhere else that's not going to be visible from the street. If that's not possible, then you could fence in your yard so they can't get to it. Or you could try things like those motion sensing sprinklers they sell to deter deer--maybe that would discourage people from messing with it if they get sprayed when they come into the yard. Or bring it inside for the winter and move it back outside in the spring when stuff's grown up around it again. If you know who's doing it, you could always try talking to their parents, although that might just make the kids mad and then they'd go out of their way to do even more stuff to it.

Thanks. I was hoping to keep it outside because I wanted to make a photo-journal of it through all the seasons; I thought Grandpa would get a kick out of seeing that smiling face appear in the snow etc. He always kept it outside. (sigh)…..Oh well.

Do you have a backyard? That seems like the easiest thing to me--I doubt the kids will wander all the way around the back of your house looking for it (out of sight, out of mind)

My inlaws once wrapped razer wire around the little reflective signs they kept at the end of their driveway. Kids kept stealing the things, but the razer wire put a stop to it. You could do this for a month or so as a deterent and then take it back off. It's your yard, you should be able to put anything you want wherever you want!

We do, but I wanted everyone to enjoy Grandpa’s jockey. It just doesn’t look right back there. I had it displayed real nice with a little bale of hay and a spotlight on his face so you can see it at night. My neighbor got a chuckle out of the light, he said it looks like he got caught doing something! It’s a real fun piece of art.

Thanks Jamie! Razor wire might just work, but it may make it seem like the little guy’s in jail or something. That’s ok I suppose, if it means I can keep him out front!

Stinkin kids, I'd wait in bushes with a hose for the buggers, but that deer deterrent motion sensor IS a great idea.

Yes, the motion detector is a good idea. I just fear it’ll take away from the spotlight effect. I would love to hose those kids down especially now that it’s cold! It could deter them absolutely. Like the other day they stuck this weird balloon thing on Grandpa’s jockey. It wasn’t very funny because it was kind of a plain color and you really couldn’t see it.

Be careful of razor wire, if someone is hurt you would be responsible, even if they were trespassing. Yes, I know it is their fault, but since the yard isn't fenced and you know that the kids are coming into the yard to play tricks with the statue, it would be considered intentional. A neighbor had to pay when they put rocks around their corner lot to keep people from driving through the yard - the drunk that was doing it wrecked his car after he hit one of the rocks.

I fear that the pranks could escalate -- it could bet knocked over, spray painted or otherwise come to harm. If it's a family treasure, you may want to find an honored place in the back yard or in a foyer area so that only invited people that you know will have access.

And, to be honest, lawn jockeys run the risk of being offensive to many folks (me included). I don't mean to imply that *you* intend offense. I'm sure you don't, and I understand the piece's charm as family history. But still, it can offend. But if you put it in a place where only actual visitors see it, you'll have a chance to mention the family history of it and keep anyone from being put off by it. My 2 cents, hope it's helpful.