Quick answer: A garden gnome is a form of garden ornament that is thought to be good luck, protect a garden from evil and makes the area look more attractive and relaxing.
They originate from stories in the 16th century when their look was more like what we would associate with a goblin today. In the 1800s in Germany, they used to have terracotta gnome-like figures and Sir Charles Isham is credited with bringing what we consider to be modern garden gnomes to his estate in the mid-1800s.
What is Their Purpose?
A garden gnome is an ornament that people put in their garden for a variety of reasons such as to make the area look and feel nicer, some believe that they protect their yards from evil and many people also see them as being good luck.
Are They Good Luck?
Over the years that they have been used as yard ornaments, they have been seen by people as being good luck charms. It is not known exactly why this is but items of this nature how always been seen as bringing their owners good fortune.
They have a rich history having been featured in literature in one form or another since the 16th century which gives them a certain mystique and, over time, this has grown. People still do not know a huge amount about them (which is partly why this we decided to create this website!) which also lends itself to their owners creating stories around them such as them being lucky creatures.
Where Does the Word Gnome Come From?
The modern day gnome is based on terracotta items that were used in Germany in the early 1800s.
What Do They Signify and Spend Their Time Doing?
As mentioned earlier, they are thought to signify good luck and protect their owner’s gardens from evil. They have been known to protect buried treasure, such as minerals and gold, that is in a yard.
When not doing these things, they spend their time tending to nature, finding food for their daily meals and taking part in hobbies such as fishing. They are also social creatures and like speaking and joking with other members of their community.
Making a Garden Look Nicer
You can buy a great deal of different types of garden gnomes these and they are available in all shapes and sizes. This means that you can buy one that will suit whatever need you have. Some of you may have very small gardens which means that you will likely want a very small one otherwise it would probably dominate the look of your yard. Others of you may have a larger garden and to have a presence you may want a larger version of one.
The most common size that you can get a garden gnome ornament for is 9 inches but you can get mini ones which are less than this and large ones which start from around the 15 inch market but can go up to the “life-size” gnome height of between 3 and 4 feet.
Relaxation
Many people find that they are relaxing to have around them and to look at. There is lot of care that is placed into the making of them, for example the quality of the paintwork and the level of details in features such as the face and clothing, that people enjoy taking in these details and becoming calmer because of this.
The general look of a gnome is rather relaxing too as they are often smiling and have a friendly demeanor about them. This to give their owner’s garden or yard an increase atmosphere of peace and tranquility. There are even a range of gnomes that are based around being zen and they are in a meditation pose. These would be perfect to have around you, either inside or outside, whilst you perform meditation of your own. They keep you calm during the process and being around them would be both a good reminder and encouragement of your need to meditate from time to time.
These days, it is very easy to find ones that have been designed around specific themes such as TV shows, bands and forms of pop culture. People find items that are based around a theme that they enjoy relaxing as it combines multiple interests that they find comforting to have around them. People also enjoy collecting merchandise based around their favorite things and a garden gnome also based this brings them joy and peace.
Where do Gnomes Live?
Gnomes live in a variety of places which enable them to not be seen by humans and where they can conveniently complete their daily tasks. This means that they live in places such as the woods, trees and sometimes even underground.
The main tasks that they complete everyday include taking care of nature, protecting their owner’s gardens from evil and making meals.
You may have even seen in some people’s yards how they have little house ornaments which are designed to be for fairies and gnomes. Gnomes do not actually live in these but they are a great representation of the real ones.
