Garden Gnomes For Sale
"Garden Gnomes For Sale"
So said the sign I passed on my way to a business meeting. For some reason, when I got home, I decided to read about garden gnomes and found there was a fascinating history!
Garden gnomes first came on the scene in Germany in the early 19th Century and appeared in England in around 1840. Folklore held them to be beneficial to the growth of garden produce, as well as attractors of good luck.
History tells us that Sir Charles Isham, the 10th Baronet of Lamport Hall, was the first proud owner of a garden gnome. In fact he brought back 21 of them from Germany and set them up in his garden rockery. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy, as he is known, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds. His picture is on the left.
The original statues were hand crafted from terracotta, which remained the material of choice right up until the 1960s. These clay garden gnomes were often cherished, collectible ornaments that stayed in the family and were passed down through the generations.
Philip Griebel and August Heissner started mass producing garden gnomes in around 1872. Within a short time Heissner Gnomes became famous around the world. Far from the “tacky” image of today’s gnomes, these were considered to be works of art which brought luck to the owners.
Many of these early gnomes were beautifully made, often quite large (up to a meter) and incredibly finely-detailed. Although most remained in the garden, some found their way into wealthy homes as house ornaments or door guardians.
Gnome mythology goes back hundreds of years – early depictions show gnomes as white-bearded, wizened old men, often misshapen and generally very short.
Early gnomes were somewhat serious fellows, and remained so right up until Walt Disney’s “Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs” gave us a glimpse of what was to come.
The film was produced in 1937 but unfortunately, two years later, World War II pretty much wiped out gnome production right across Europe. Production remained limited until the 1960s when modern plastics and resins gave the opportunity for cheap true mass production of the bright, cheerfully-painted garden gnomes we know today.
Today, there are few remaining ceramic gnome manufacturers, with most being made from plastic in Eastern Europe and the Far East.
Gnomes are very popular with suburban gardeners, with many feeling that having gnomes dotted about creates a good overall impression of their garden, adding humor and panache to the design.
However nowadays there is a real worry that gnomes displayed in the front yard will disappear overnight (the recession maybe?), and it is claimed that they are the most frequently stolen garden decoration. “Gnome Rustlers,” perhaps?
So, Love ‘em or hate ‘em, garden gnomes have been around for about 150 years and they look like they’re going to be around for another 150.
Coupla last snippets:
- Gnomes are banned from the Chelsea Flower Show because the organizers claim they detract from garden designs.
- Garden gnomes have been banned from cemeteries by the Diocese of Bath and Wells (in England – where else?) because leaders say they are "unnatural creatures". Along with plastic flowers and other decorations such as teddy bears, they have been called "inappropriate and tacky”!
- In France there is even a “French Liberation Front of Garden Gnomes”…
*sigh*