Old Garden Gnome Taking a Rest

Old Garden Gnome Taking a Rest

September 19, 2011

I love taking walks around our vacation home resort to enjoy not only the scenery and wild life but to get a bit of daily exercise.  Being a garden gnome lover, I'm always on the look-out to greet other gnomes.  I spotted this tire, old gnome taking a break from his gardening duties under the shade of a toad stool.  He must have been working quite hard throughout the night to be this tired!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2011

Please Welcome the Latest Inhabitants of the Gnome Empire

New Arrivals

July 22, 2010 

Many people don't realize that Gnomes come in a variety of sizes much like their human counterparts.  They also have a wide range of interests.  The smallest Gnome is an exclusive design from Cape Shore.  He is about 2 - inches tall.  Unlike working Gnomes this little one is all about lounging on the beach complete with drink in hand.  He sports sunglasses and a funky patterned shirt moving away from the plainer attire of garden and home Gnomes.  He is simply about as adorable as you can get! Gnolfing Gnome represents my husband's interests.  He might tag along in my husband's golf bag occasionally to bring a little luck.  Something tells me this little guy will be going places!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Vacation Gnomes

Vacation Gnomes

May 22, 2010

As the happy keeper of Gnome Empire in Ontario, Canada I was anxious to have a few gnomes volunteer to help establish a Gnome Empire Outpost at the vacation home.  I looked high and low to no avail.  I was becoming quite discouraged ready to put out an SOS for any gnomes willing to join the Gnome Empire Outpost.  Just when I was giving up hope these 2 friendly gnomes popped out of the woodwork to volunteer their services.  I was ecstatic at their generosity so took them up on their very kind offer.  Now what many don't realize is a gardener does not choose what gnomes come into their lives.  Rather the gnome chooses the gardener.  Gnomes are very helpful creatures but only to those who love the little ones.  They bring a mystical magic to the garden that's hard to capture through any other means.  I'm so glad these gnomes decided to join the Outpost!
Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Gnome Bath

Gnome Bath

May 11, 2010

The Gnome Empire now has a population of twenty and growing.  What many don't realize is gnomes enjoy having a nice bath at least one a year whether they need it or not.  In between baths they also enjoy a shower much the same as humans do.  They also enjoy a liberal spraying of Krylon® clear coat that acts as a sunscreen to keep their colours bright and cheery. 

Pictured are three of the gnome residents with their friends after their bath.  A gnome bath is quite dependent on the gnome's personality (size, composition).  Some larger gnomes will need a sponge bath while mid-sized and smaller will can have a regular bath.  They enjoy a mild soap using an exfoliate brush to get rid of any grime after a hard season of helping in the garden.  Some gnomes may need a refreshing coat of paint or even just a change of clothes.  I find my gnomes like wearing traditional colours for their clothing as do most gnomes although I'm told some city gnomes wear a bit more non-traditional colours but we are so rural that city gnomes find our way of life a bit too unexciting and quiet.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

The Gnome Empire Has New Residents

New Gnomes & Sprite

May 8, 2010

I am pleased to announce that the Gnome Empire has new residents!  Four new Gnomes and one Sprite have become inhabitants of the Gnome Empire bringing the population to 20.  Rumour has it that other Gnomes are considering moving to the Gnome Empire.  Construction is planned for the Gnome Empire as well that will see the smaller Gnomes with their own entrance door so they can visit with the house Gnomes.  As you wander through my gardens this year be sure to keep a look-out for Gnomes and their companions.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

In the Garden

Not much has been happening in the gardens other than clearing brush and over growth. We decided to remove all of the remaining bits of garden decorations left by the previous owner to create a more uniform theme. The focus has been on preparing the greenspace areas for our upcoming anniversary party. The unseasonably dry weather combined with higher temperatures are working against us. I've put the sprinkle to both the grass and shrubs hoping it will help. The sod is scheduled to be put in tomorrow where we removed gardens entirely. I will have to keep the water to these areas so the sod survives.

Gnameless Gnome

Gnameless has taken up watching over the gardens between the house and garage. He's the official gnome greeter for newly arriving gnomes. He is shaded by a large peony (Paeonia) and boxwood. I'm not sure what colour the peony is so will have to wait for the blooms. I've always wanted peonies as my Mom had them in her garden. There are three peony bushes in the garden area between the house and garage. I'll comment more on growing peonies in a later blog entry.

Racoons

The previous owner left a stump that I felt would work well with my theme. I nestled the stump into a cascading bed of English Ivy off the covered patio. The ivy covers the hill at the side of the house opening into a wider, ivy covered garden filled with various plants, some of which need to be removed. Our long-time garden helpers, the racoon brothers, found a home on top of the stump. They will be guarding a gnome entrance, not yet installed. To the right of the stump are more boxwoods. Behind the stump is a clump of silver grass.

Rose of Sharon, Althea

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a beautiful flower bush that I previously commented on here. They are often used as hedges in our area or as an ornament bush in the garden. I had three varieties in our previous garden and saved seeds from each. With any luck I will be able to enjoy these varieties again in this garden.

I was quite pleased to discover a lovely Rose of Sharon (Althea) in the gardens between the house and garage. Unlike my the Rose of Sharon from the previous garden, this one has double blooms giving the bush a rather exotic look. The bright pink blooms add a wonderful splash of colour against the green backdrop and English Ivy ground cover.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007

One Year Anniversary

My Gnomes

One year ago today I started Garden Gnomes Wanderings blog. Over the year there have been a few changes mainly with the template. I'm still having a lot of fun writing this blog so expect it to last. Today our house is one step closer to being sold. If that happens I'll go through the steps of turning over the garden to the new owners and the steps of creating a new garden. Time will tell. At this time my garden is proceeding as normal.

Here's a picture of my gnomes including my two newest gnomes holding lanterns, yet unnamed. They are slightly larger than Gnameless but I don't think he minds. He's the only gnome outside at the moment as the newer gnomes don't have their sunblock on yet. My gnome community has been joined by a lone fairy and turtle with her turtlelet. They too remain nameless.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007

More Signs of Spring

Buds on Maple Tree
March 26, 2007

Mike Thomas, a reformed anti-blogger who's blog is call Brannigans Law commented on my cooking blog about a video his wife had made about gnomes. I just had to check out her video called "I Think I'm a Gnome Now". This is a must see for all gardeners unless of course you don't like gnomes. I have three of gnomes in the video: Jack, Jeff and Phillip. Thanks Mike for giving me a great chuckle this morning! Here's to all gnome lovers everywhere!

Signs of spring are everywhere! I can't believe how quickly buds appeared on the trees. Although the weather has cooled a little, it does look like March just may go out like a lamb. A short 30 days ago I posted how it came in like a lion here. Tomorrow will tell!

I spent a bit of time emptying pots in the greenhouse. We are putting in an offer on another house tonight something that may create a few challenges for this growing season but nothing we haven't gone through before. The landscaping is mature so that's a real plus. So I'm definitely in the spring cleaning mode both inside and out. The garden paths need a good vacuuming but the beds themselves look fine. They just need the soil worked up and grid laid out. Garden plans are on schedule despite the uncertainty.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007

Phillip & Jeff

Please welcome Phillip and Jeff, my newest gnomes checking out one of the seed trays. They arrived by gnometravel this morning. While Gnameless is still looking for help in the garden, these two don't really looking like they have their mind on garden work. But that's ok because I'm sure Gnameless already knows that a gnome village requires input from all the little folk. Gnomes always work together and that's the way it should be.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007

Please Wecome Jack My New Gnome

Gnameless Gnome & Jack

Gnameless gnome was used to being the only gnome in my garden. As you can see he lost a couple of pieces off his rake so I'll have to see if I can find a way to fix that for him. He was joined by a wide variety of other garden decorations. This year I decided to use a unifying theme instead of a mish mash of decorations. Of course that theme had to be gnomes! The visiting kids should really like these little guys! I also decided to add solar lighting and while I now have eight solar lights and two solar rock lights (spotlights made to look like rocks) I am planning on adding just enough to get a subtle twinkle effect.

Jack the swinging woodland gnome arrived today. His birthplace was Aarons Enterprises Inc. then he traveled to Krupps and finally came to me. He is an 8" gnome so a bit smaller than Gnameless. I was quite happy with him so ordered two more gnomes. I'm planning on making or buying gnome ladders for each of the beds so the gnomes can get up there and will be adding a few other gnome accessories. The goal is to achieve a gnomescape without interfering with the function of the gardens.

Gnomes and other garden critters should be protected by an acrylic spray with UV protector annually in it something I did not know. So I will be cleaning Gnomeless and the raccoon twins then spraying all of them before placing in the garden this year.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007

More on Garden Gnomes in the Garden

Stella de Oro Daylily

Spring is just around the corner even though it does not feel that way today. It is cold with freezing rain and snow flurries. Everything was coated with ice this morning thanks to the Colorado Clipper as it made its way northeast. I'm itching to be in the garden again! This week I will be starting a few seeds indoors

Gardens can be so much more than just plants and while that's what most of us aim for, a touch of whimsy is always nice. For years I have used used decorations like turtles, frogs, racoons, miniature scarecrows and of course a garden gnome. One reader emailed me to ask if the garden gnome picture in my profile was a real statue. It is. I've had him for a few years. He is made of resin to withstand the weather. I think he is somewhere around 9 to 12 inches, just guess as he is put away for the winter. My decorations have tended to be whimsical with no real theme. During an online search I discovered PhenomeGnome.com a wonderful website dedicated to gnome lovers. There is a lot of information as well as a forum. What intrigued me was setting up garden decorations to follow one theme and in this particular case it is called gnomegardening. They like to show gnomes in their natural environment and use gnome accessories such as doors, tree stumps and other natural elements for a realistic gnome based environment. These items are referred to as gnomescaping. While the goal of my vegetable garden is production, I am going to try gnomescaping this year. The idea of more earth elements blessing my garden is appealing!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007

Garden Gnomes

Gnomes
Montelago Village, Lake Las Vegas, Nevada

The number one question I get online is "Why the nickname Garden Gnome?". The nickname originated from a smart alec comment from my youngest referring me to a Gnome because of my short stature. The Garden part came because ove my ever expanding garden and desire to spend more time there. Gnomes have always been interesting to me likely because of their mystical qualities so I didn't mind the nickname. I just had to take a picture of the gnomes in a little shop in Motelago Village on Lake Las Vegas.

Statues of gnomes have been popular garden decorations for since the 1800's. The traditional depiction of the male gnome is short, elf-like beings with wrinkled and gnarled human-like features and a head slightly too big for its body. It is dressed in bright, solid colour clothing. They wear a conical hat usually red and have a long, white beard. Quite often they are hunchbacked or misshapen. According to Wikipedia the first garden gnomes were made in Gräfenroda in Thuringia, Germany based on local legend that gnomes helped in the garden at night. They are usually depicted doing some type of activity like holding a lamp as in the picture or holding a rake like mine. While originally made in terracotta, garden gnomes are now available in other materials including resin that tolerates the weather well.

Gnomes are legendary creatures associated with the classical element of earth because of their subterranian habitat. In lengends they protected secret treasures concealed in vast caverns underground. While the origin of the garden gnome indicated that gnomes helped humans in their gardens at night, older legends indicate that gnomes were not naturally inclined to help humans. But they could be valuable allies if a human were to gain their trust. In gardens, gnomes are seen as good luck charms for aiding in the growth and protecting that which is planted. Not everyone views garden gnomes as beneficial garden inhabitants. J.K. Rowling referred to garden gnomes as "potatoes with legs" in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. In the wizarding community, garden gnomes were pests much like moles so wizzards had to routinely de-gnome their gardens. The de-gnoming method was rather simple. Grab the gnome by the legs and swinging it around to make it dizzy then toss it from the garden.

Garden gnomes are often depicted globe trotting since they became popular items to snitch. One garden gnome gained his moment of fame when he was uprooted from his garden and sent on a trip around the world. Pictures came from each destination assuring his owners that he was having a wonderful time. He finally made it back to his home garden safe and sound. While this sounds rather humorous, no one should remove a garden gnome from his own garden! It disorients the gnome and brings bad luck to the garden and it will bring bad luck to those who remove a gnome. Remember a gnome is not naturally inclined to help humans and have magical powers that can cause humans to feel sad. So to those so inclined, please don't remove a garden gnome from his garden.

Garden Gnome
© 2007