Scarecrows aren’t just field guardians anymore; they’ve become delightful garden characters that bring humor and personality to outdoor spaces. These 20 DIY scarecrow ideas will show you how simple materials can transform into playful, eye-catching figures that both protect and decorate your garden.
You’ll see how old clothes, broomsticks, bottles, and even twigs can take on a second life with a touch of creativity. Each design adds a cheerful touch that makes your space feel alive and full of character.
The best part is how easy and affordable they are to make. So grab a few everyday items, spark your imagination, and let’s create scarecrows that will make your garden smile.
#1 Scarecrow Wreath
This cheerful scarecrow wreath brings a burst of autumn spirit to your garden or front door. Its straw hat and denim legs give it that classic country charm, while the mix of colorful leaves, ribbons, and sunflowers adds warmth and personality.
To make one, form a base using a grapevine or wire wreath and attach layers of burlap, fabric strips, or faux leaves for texture. Add an old hat at the top and a pair of jeans at the bottom for a fun twist.
You can even stuff the jeans with straw for extra fullness. Hang it on a tree or wall and let it greet guests with a smile every time they walk by.
#2 Stuff Old Clothes With Straw, Use An Old Rake For The Backbone And Head!
This playful scarecrow adds humor and creativity to your garden with its rake-shaped head and relaxed pose. The plaid shirt and jeans give it a cozy country look, while the rake topped with a straw hat and cheerful painted face makes it instantly eye-catching.
To make one, stuff old clothes with straw or leaves, then secure them to a sturdy frame or chair. Attach a rake for the head and decorate it with craft paint for the face.
Add flowers or a small plant basket in its lap for extra charm. Set it near a bench or porch for a friendly, laid-back garden guardian that will make everyone smile.
#3 Colorful Scarecrow Made From a Broom And a Plastic Bottle
This bright and cheerful scarecrow is the perfect way to bring color and joy to your garden while recycling plastic bottles creatively.
Each bottle is painted in vivid hues, forming the arms, body, and face, giving it a playful look kids and adults will love. To make one, stack bottles on a sturdy wooden pole and glue or tie them together.
Use a broom head for the hair and large bottle caps or lids for the eyes. Cut and paint more bottles into rings or strips to hang as decorative arms and clothing.
Once set in your garden, it will shimmer in the sunlight and sway gently in the wind, adding life and laughter to your outdoor space.
#4 Painted Clay Pot Scarecrow
This charming scarecrow made from clay pots is a delightful way to brighten your garden path or porch. The stacked pots form a cute little figure, painted in lively green and yellow with straw hands and feet for a rustic touch.
To create one, stack clay pots of different sizes using strong glue, and paint each section to look like overalls and a shirt. Add raffia or straw between the joints to mimic hair and cuffs, then finish with a painted face and a straw hat.
You can even give it a watering can or small garden tool for extra personality. It’s a simple, cheerful project that brings both color and character to any outdoor space.
#5 Recycled Material Scarecrow
This clever scarecrow idea turns an ordinary ironing board into a fun and quirky garden character. The board forms the body, while a pink colander serves as the head, complete with a mop wig and a floppy summer hat.
To recreate it, stand an old ironing board upright and secure it in the soil or with a support stake. Dress it up with scarves or aprons for clothing, then attach the colander head and add eyes, hair, and a smile.
Finish the look with props like a watering can or a bunch of sunflowers. It’s a charming, eco-friendly piece that brings personality and humor to any garden corner.
#6 Twig Scarecrow
This rustic scarecrow idea proves that simple materials can create striking outdoor art. A dried gourd makes the perfect head, perched on a post wrapped in burlap for the body.
Add a bundle of twigs for arms, and tie a few dried corn cobs or husks at the center for extra texture. To build it, start by securing a wooden stake in the ground, then drape it with burlap or sackcloth.
Attach the gourd on top, decorating it with natural accents like corn, raffia, or twine. This design gives your garden a warm, farmhouse charm while keeping things beautifully understated and nature-inspired.
#7 Pallet Scarecrow
This simple fence post scarecrow gives your garden a cozy country charm. It’s built around a sturdy wooden post, dressed in an old flannel shirt stuffed with straw for that classic rustic look.
To make one, start by attaching a crosspiece to your post for arms, then slip the shirt over it and fill it with straw or raffia. Add straw to the sleeves and neckline, tying them loosely with twine to keep them in place.
Paint or attach a small wooden star to the post for a decorative accent. This scarecrow design is quick to assemble and pairs beautifully with seasonal flowers or a rustic chair beside it.
#8 Rusty Tin Can Scarecrow
This imaginative scarecrow turns old rusty tin cans into an eccentric, almost lifelike garden figure. Each limb is crafted from cylindrical cans linked together, giving it a whimsical, vintage robot feel.
To make one, collect different sizes of cans, clean them, and attach them with sturdy wire or bolts for flexible joints. Dress it up in an old shirt and skirt or overalls to give your creation character and charm.
A pair of gloves or mannequin hands adds a playful touch that completes the look. The result is a creative blend of art and recycling that stands proudly among your plants, guarding them with a rustic sense of humor.
#9 Old Tire Scarecrow
This unique scarecrow transforms old tin cans into a character full of rustic charm and personality. Each arm and leg is crafted from rusted cans, giving it a wonderfully weathered, steampunk look that stands out in any garden.
To recreate this quirky figure, gather cans of various sizes, drill small holes, and thread them together using wire for flexible joints.
Dress it in old clothing to add a bit of human touch, then finish with a head made from a larger can decorated with painted facial features.
A pair of gloves or mannequin hands completes the illusion perfectly. It’s a creative way to reuse scrap metal and give your outdoor space a whimsical, vintage twist.
#10 Painted Plastic Scarecrow
This colorful scarecrow is a joyful explosion of creativity made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. Each bottle is painted in bright rainbow hues and arranged in layered rows to form a vibrant skirt that shimmers in the sunlight.
The head, made from a large yellow jug, gives it a cheerful personality with a hand-painted face and playful hair made of bottle strips. To make one yourself, collect plastic bottles in various sizes, clean them, and paint them with acrylic colors.
String them together using wire or zip ties, then attach everything to a sturdy wooden post. It’s a wonderful way to reuse materials while adding a splash of happiness and humor to your garden.
#11 Dry Branch Scarecrow
This log scarecrow is a delightful mix of rustic charm and garden creativity. It’s made entirely from thick branches stacked and tied together, forming a sturdy, natural-looking figure.
The face is hand-crafted with simple wood pieces, and a red cap adds a playful finishing touch. To make one like this, gather logs or trimmed branches, tie them firmly with twine or wire, and attach them to a central wooden pole for support.
Add buckets or flower pots to the arms to hold bright blooms, giving the scarecrow a gardener’s personality. The result is a cheerful woodland guardian that looks as if it’s part of the landscape itself.
#12 Simple Scarecrow Made Out Of Branches and Clay Pots
This playful garden scarecrow proves how simple materials can create something charming and full of character. Built from long wooden sticks tied together, it wears a loose sackcloth dress that sways with the breeze, adding motion to your garden.
The head is cleverly made from an upside-down clay pot, and smaller pots hang from ropes along the arms, catching sunlight and softly clinking in the wind.
To recreate it, tie two sturdy branches in a cross shape, drape them with burlap or old fabric, and hang mini terracotta pots from twine. Finish with a clay pot hat for a rustic touch.
#13 Old Brooms Scarecrow
These two quirky broom scarecrows bring laughter and personality right into your garden. Made from old straw brooms, they’re given playful faces using random household items like plastic glasses, bottle caps, toy parts, and beads.
Their colorful “hair,” made by dyeing broom bristles, adds a bold and cheerful look that kids will absolutely love.
To make one, attach a broom to a wooden stick, then glue or tie on your chosen accessories for eyes, nose, and mouth. Wrap a scarf or ribbon around the handle to give it character.
They’re perfect for decorating garden corners or porch areas where you want a touch of humor and whimsy.
#14 Coffee Can Scarecrow
This adorable scarecrow made from a recycled tin can adds a touch of whimsy and motion to any garden. The can is painted with a sweet, hand-drawn face and topped with a straw hat, giving it a charming country personality.
Colorful ribbons hang from the bottom, fluttering beautifully with every breeze and catching sunlight like streamers.
To make one, clean and paint a large tin can, glue on straw for hair, and tie long ribbons in fall shades of orange, yellow, and red. Add a hat to finish the look, then attach it to a pole or garden stake.
#15 A Fence Post Scarecrow
Here’s a cute and sturdy scarecrow idea made from a simple wooden block that adds rustic charm to your garden or porch.
The block is painted in cheerful shades of red, blue, and cream, with a wide-brimmed wooden hat giving it a friendly country vibe. Its straw hair and button eyes bring a homespun look, while the yellow bandana tied around its neck adds personality.
To make one, paint a 4×4 wood post, draw a smiling face, glue on straw or raffia for hair, and top it with a handmade hat from scrap wood. Wrap a small bandana or cloth at the neck, and it’s ready to stand guard over your garden.
#16 Corn Stalk Scarecrow
This timeless cornstalk scarecrow captures the spirit of fall perfectly. With a cheerful fabric face, a floppy brown hat, and overalls stuffed with straw, it brings a friendly touch to any yard.
Corn husks tied around the base give it a natural, rustic finish that blends beautifully with autumn landscapes. To make your own, attach a scarecrow body to a wooden stake, then dress it in old clothes and stuff it lightly with hay.
Add a fabric head with painted features and secure cornstalks behind it for height and texture. Place it near your garden or front porch for a warm, country-style welcome that makes everyone smile.
#17 Wood Scarecrow
This friendly porch scarecrow makes guests feel right at home with its cozy farmhouse charm. Dressed in a checkered shirt and straw hat, it leans casually beside a wooden “Welcome” sign and painted pumpkin cutouts.
The mix of textures, hay, flannel, and rustic wood, gives it a warm seasonal look perfect for fall. To recreate it, attach a wooden scarecrow frame to your porch wall or a board, then dress it in old clothes stuffed lightly with straw.
Add a simple painted face and tie on a straw hat for character. Place it next to autumn décor like pumpkins or potted mums to complete your inviting fall entryway.
#18 Log Scarecrows
This adorable birch log couple brings humor and heart to any garden corner. Crafted entirely from cut birch branches, the pair sits together on a rustic wooden bench, exuding charm with their twig limbs and bark-covered torsos.
Small details like hats, glasses, and fabric clothing add personality, making them look like an old married pair enjoying a sunny day.
To recreate this idea, gather birch logs of varying thicknesses, cut them into sections, and secure them with screws or nails.
Use burlap or old fabric for clothing and accessorize with natural touches like pinecones or straw. Place them under a tree or near your garden path for a playful, storybook-like scene.
#19 Shutter Scarecrow
This bright and cheerful shutter scarecrow adds a burst of color and whimsy to any garden. Made from a repurposed yellow window shutter, it features wide wooden arms, a sunflower-adorned hat, and a scarf tied neatly around the neck.
The small basket of sunflowers gives it a welcoming, homey vibe that fits perfectly among summer blooms. To create your own, paint an old shutter in a sunny hue, attach two wooden planks for arms, and use a small metal or tin circle for the face.
Accessorize with a fabric scarf and faux flowers for a finished touch. Set it near your porch or flower bed to bring a warm, handmade charm to your outdoor space.
#20 Hanging Can Scarecrow
This quirky tin can scarecrow brings a touch of vintage fun to your garden while keeping the birds at bay. Crafted from old metal cans, it’s a clever example of turning everyday scraps into an adorable garden guardian.
A straw hat, a friendly painted face, and tufts of raffia hair give it personality, while the patch-painted “clothes” make it look charmingly rustic.
To make your own, gather large and small cans, paint them in earthy tones, and stack them using strong wire or screws. Add a touch of straw for hair and sleeves, then finish with a playful hat. Hang it from a tree branch or porch beam for a whimsical decoration that clinks softly in the breeze.