THE Belmont garden of Grahame 'Jacko' Geatches is teaming with ornaments donated by the community, after a heartless gnome attack last week saw around 25 of his prized possessions destroyed.
"I've probably got a couple of hundred gnomes here now thanks to the community," Jacko said on Monday.
"I've even had another four donated today but I love them that much that I don't think I'll ever run out of room."
The 75-year-old Vietnam veteran was "devastated" when he discovered vandals had smashed his ornaments, thrown them on the road and stolen the Australian flag he had flown since returning from war in the early 1970s.
"Some of those gnomes I'd had for close to 50 years," Jacko said.
"After I went out and picked it all up I just felt like falling down on the grass and crying. I started off angry with the people but there's no point staying angry - I'm not an angry person."
Jacko - who got his nickname from 10 months of tough jackhammer work on the top floor of Swansea RSL Club - said the community has donated six new flags and a baked dinner, along with buying all the gnome stock from a nearby Bunnings.
"At the moment I've just got a metal pole with a few holes in it. But I'd like to get a flagpole someday," he said.
"I can't work out a good word to say thanks to every person who donated and cheered me up. If I did, I'd say the word over and over."
Leading the charge of good Samaritans was Lauren Carlson, who started a Facebook page titled Gnomes and Other Support for Jacko at Belmont.
"Jacko said he is just over the moon with the generosity from the community," Ms Carlson said.
"I told him about the Facebook page and the rapid growth and he thinks that's great."
Jacko moved from Swansea to a house across from Belmont 16s almost five years ago and is well-know around the area for his generosity.
"I knew some people in the area liked me but I certainly didn't expect any of this," he said.
Jacko spends every morning in his garden, providing free, fresh produce to many Belmont residents.
"I just put whatever I have on the brickwork and when people walk past they can take what they need. I do it for the love I have of gardening and giving back."
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