WORLD OF GNOMES NOW

The Magical World of Gnomes
What is a gnome? A gnome is a magical dwarf-like being supposed to guard the earth’s underground treasures. What is a garden gnome? A garden gnome is a garden ornament in the form of a small bearded man with a pointed hat.

Gnomes have been with us for quite a long time now. They come in many different shapes and sizes usually sporting a floppy or pointy hat, a beard and a round belly. Their pants are often pulled up high, supported by wide braces. Buttons tend to be large. Some gnomes smoke a pipe, others carry gardening tools which they do not appear to make much use of. They are available in a large variety of poses. They are also said to help out in the garden at night, but in all my years of gardening I have never had this benefit.

Accounts of people who have seen real gnomes are few and far between and should probably be humored before being guided to a corner of the bar and encouraged to make their drink the last for the evening.

The earlier German manufactured garden gnomes were very well made, glazed ceramic and of muted natural tones. Sadly, gnomes have gained the reputation of being a bit cheap and tacky in more recent times.  One can see why. Brightly colored plastic with vivid cartoon like features, they often fail to please by  overpowering the plants and flowers that try to compete for ones attention in the garden.

It is understandable that the Chelsea Flower Show of London bans gnomes and such like from the displays on the grounds of good taste. Perhaps it is not due to the idea of the gnome as such but rather, its gaudy interpretations that bring the subject into disrepute.

To succeed, it is recommended that the well designed garden gnome should at all times compliment his surroundings, blending into the environment with the use of natural color and shape. Being a rather reclusive fellow, toned down attire is the way to go. It makes sense that the garden gnome should be in subtle costume regardless of his expression or pose. Perhaps if gnomes are less conspicuous, fewer gnomes will suffer the fate of being stolen. Robin Hood’s style springs to mind. Although he and his merry men were not gnomes, as men of the woods also, their clothing would have been natural so as to blend in with the surroundings and so not suffer capture.

It does not help improve their reputation when gnomes are arranged haphazardly throughout the garden in differing sizes, designs and colors, resulting in seriously reducing the overall effect. So please, if you are going to have gnomes in your garden, use them in a way that is harmonious and pleasant.
A small group of gnomes in proportion to each other can look very tasteful and can create a magical ambience to any garden. If you have a large garden and it has separate areas then you may get away with each area having a different “tribe” of gnomes.

I remember when I was a child there was a house in my neighbourhood that had a front garden dedicated to fake. Everything in it was either plastic or concrete. Brightly colored Gnomes, windmills, flamingos, fairy grottoes, bridges, reindeer, ducks, hens, eagles, Father Christmases, Buddha’s, clowns, various statues, bird baths, palm trees, tulips, pots, fairy lights etc. A phantasmagoria in fact. Not a living thing to be seen, it was a jaw dropping sight. The effect was so overpowering it was entertaining rather than offensive due to the extreme level of fantasy on display. This garden was so outrageous it attracted many passers by who would often be seen laughing in hysterics at this monument to poor taste. At the same time it often warranted the taking of photos to go home with and cherish. There is always room for such expression but lets try and keep it in one place at a time.

It is probably safe to say that within the world of gnomes there is a gnome to suit every garden and a gnome that suits every one of us. If not, then there should be! Garden gnomes seem to represent a certain state of mind where lies the open minded possibility that there is more to reality than meets the eye.
Perhaps the gnome represents a statement that says one has not yet shut imagination out of the mind. Maybe it is a primeval matter, something within us harking back to days of old when dragons and demons and fairies were an accepted part of folk lore. It is surprising how many places around the world have stories and accounts of little men, often with magical powers.

Interestingly, the character of the gnome can in some ways represent that of its owner, rather like the observation that dogs and their owners often share similarities in character or appearance.
One of my favorite gnomes is a stone cast statue, plain, very sombre, sitting in a meditative state in the lotus position in a quiet spot in my garden. What’s yours?

————————————————————————————————————————————-