Garden Gnomes

[ShinobiSol]

Many years ago I used to cast different types of garden ornaments, figurines and statuettes from both plaster and concrete, mainly using latex molds. One of the things that I always found striking was the divisiveness of the little creatures known as garden gnomes! In other words, anyone who I ever encountered while I was casting in the shop always remarked that they either loved or hated them.

Now that I have signed up here I'd be interested in hearing the views of the wider gardening community on these, as it is something that has always strangely fascinated me. So do you love them or hate them? Tacky or cute? Evil or protector! Personally I don't have any in my own garden, purely down to what I believe would be an aesthetic clash.

 

[CanadianLori]

I have some gnomes out back and my front door is guarded by Herbert & Emmeline. They are a little cold today.

 

[CanadianLori]

I tend to wear my whimsical tendencies for all to see.

I also have a mermaid tiffany lamp in my hall - Mimi is taller than I!

 

[Rosyrain]

My mom lives garden gnomes and has them all inside her house. It is fun to go and find new ones for her collection. She keeps them inside because she is afraid of weather damage if they were left outside.

 

[Shimus]

I don't know how I feel about gnomes or flamingoes, but statuettes in general can be placed in accordance with how you plant, allowing you to bring out the full potential of your garden. In the offseason I just yank them out and place them in sheds because our winters can freeze the poor things until they crack open (damn negative weather!)

I miss spring. Snow needs to go away. I feel cooped up.

 

[Pat]

I like to find items that I think will look cute in the garden when I am out at the 2nd hand stores to add for decoration. The bowling balls cover in glass marbles is a nice one. The concrete stepping stones is also a good one to use in the garden. Generally we just leave them outside during the winter and replace them if they get damaged.

 

[marlingardener]

I do not like gnomes in the garden or anywhere else. The same for those plywood cut-outs of ladies bending over, cows, and Wily Coyote. A garden is a restful place, not a trip through the tacky store!
I have a very tasteful gargoyle and a concrete armadillo in our flower bed. Now that's garden art!

 

[globulon]

I, myself, am not a big fan of garden gnomes. In my opinion, I love gardens that are purely natural and bring out the beauty of the plants themselves. While certain gnomes and statuettes are certainly pretty and well-crafted, many I've seen only add a tacky feel to a garden.

 

[Trellum]

I like garden gnomes in general, they can add some color to some gardens, but there are some garden gnomes that look just awful. Some even look tacky! I tend to stay away from those and go for a more sober and ''classy'' look if possible. Also having a lot garden gnomes is a big no no.

 

[claudine]

I'll be honest with you, I absolutely hate garden gnomes. In my opinion they're not only tacky, but also very creepy. I'm scared of them!
Fortunately, they aren't popular in my area.

 

[ShinobiSol]

I like to find items that I think will look cute in the garden when I am out at the 2nd hand stores to add for decoration. The bowling balls cover in glass marbles is a nice one. The concrete stepping stones is also a good one to use in the garden. Generally we just leave them outside during the winter and replace them if they get damaged.

That's pretty much my mode of operation too! Whatever is meant to last, will last! I like to try and freshen things up as much as possibly every year too and some different items, otherwise I find that the look of the garden gets very monotonous and sometimes boring. Pretty much the same can be said for changing different types of plants around too.

 

[Shimus]

I have to agree, unless it goes with the theme of your garden then it ends up being tacky. Like leaving lights up year round (xmas lights, thats it) or those people who inflate those giant balloon Santas or Witches (for Halloween) - Tacky.

However if you handle the situation right, a gnome or flamingo or two can actually bring out your gardens different shades of green and throw in a much needed difference of color.

 

[Cereus]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I had a neighbor once who had garden gnomes but placed them in a tasteful manner to make his garden look like a gorgeous fantasy scene. Even pink flamingos can be fun as long as the context is known and it's well executed. An old coworker of mine went for a more comedic effect with her garden with pink flamingos and it worked really well.

 

[ACSAPA]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I had a neighbor once who had garden gnomes but placed them in a tasteful manner to make his garden look like a gorgeous fantasy scene. Even pink flamingos can be fun as long as the context is known and it's well executed. An old coworker of mine went for a more comedic effect with her garden with pink flamingos and it worked really well.

Agreed, I think garden gnomes are fun and silly and fine for someone with a goofy sense of humor. I don't personally have any garden art but I enjoy seeing how other people express themselves.

 

[Jewell]

Never understood gnomes, but gargoyles and dragons I like tucked in inconspicuous places in the garden. I have a sitting Buddha sitting among the sedums to remind me to slow down and enjoy the garden a little more. I tend to over focus on the weeds.