These quality handcrafted flowerpot men are the inspiration of Rainer Jost who carried a childhood memory for over 40 years.

As a small boy just after the war he along with several ever hungry boys befriended an elderly gentleman who grew vegetables particularly potatoes in his garden and amongst all of this was what resembled a man made of disused flower pots.

In the late 1980's living in an idyllic valley in North Devon, Rainer seemed to be forever cutting one particular roadside hedge which prompted him to make a life size flowerpot man with secateurs in hand cutting the hedge, the head and body planted up with plants, this attracted much attention by passers-by and proved to be the first of many, with a number appearing in the local village of Berrynarbor.

He subsequently made smaller models from quality terracotta plastic pots. Several were placed outside his business in Lynmouth to attract trade and the first year a common phrase was overheard "a few old pots, if we take a photo we can make one at home". Quite a number of people have since returned admitting they couldn't.

In 2001 disaster struck North Devon in the form of foot & mouth disease, not good news for the Exmoor Brass Rubbing & Hobbycraft Centre. The village of Berrynarbor were planning their Britain in Bloom theme and decided a flowerpot man theme would fit the bill and approached Rainer to make large sized flowerpot men decorated with plants and the primary school made an amazing weed.

Houses and business were soon adorned with Rainer's flowerpot men getting up to all sorts of mischief or simply gardening. The project was a success and the village a winner, as so the flowerpot men.

Rainer developed the flowerpot men in the hobbycraft centre. Each flowerpot man takes at least a couple of hours using over 100 parts including quality terracotta plastic pots. They are sturdy, weatherproof and each face hand painted, the heads can turn in any direction and look stylish potted up with grasses or herbs.

These such loved characters are treasured by all ages and make ideal gifts not only as a garden ornament in the summer, but birthday and Christmas presents etc.