Spooky scarecrows are taking over the New York Botanical Garden

For years, scarecrows have been considered the guardians of gardens, scaring off birds since the first settlers entered the United States.

Today, these makeshift mannequins are not only frightening the hell out of crows, they're scaring the sh*t out of humans. (Like, er, this writer.) C’mon, you can't deny that scarecrows are seriously spooky. And that's probably one of the reasons why the New York Botanical Garden created a brand-new Halloween exhibit, Scarecrows: From Heartland to Horror, which is all about 'em.

RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Halloween in NYC

Sculptor and artist Ray Villafane—you’re probably familiar with his incredible giant pumpkin carving skills—created larger-than-life sculptures for NYBG with moving eyes, hands and limbs (gulp) to show the evolution of scarecrows. Villafane's creations are on display Sept 17 through October 30, but if you're looking to scream, you can check out the monsters after dark...if you dare.

On October 21, 22, 28 and 29 from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, the installation will "come to life" with scary stories from the characters who know them best. Sounds and looks pretty creepy.  

Photograph: Courtesy New York Botanical Garden

Show your love! Nominate your favorite local places for the Love New York Awards.