The History of Garden Gnomes

Gnomes themselves can be traced to the mythologies and legends of Norway, Switzerland, and Germany, dating back to at least the 1400s and likely far earlier. Gnomes acquired some of their most characteristic features — including their small statures and hunched backs — during the Renaissance period. In the 1600s, as Europeans colonized the Americas, gnomes made the journey along with them. Sculpted garden gnomes were popularized by German artist Philip Griebel in the mid-1800s. However, short, protective figures placed in gardens have a much longer history — for example, in ancient Rome, small statues of gods were often kept in gardens to protect them from evil spirits. Garden gnomes are now considered merely decorative, but some do serve an additional purpose. For example, some garden gnomes are made with a small pot or dish that can be used to hold water for birds or butterflies. Some are used to mark specific garden rows while others act as holders for plant identification tags. Still others are used simply to deter rodents and other garden pests. Today, garden gnomes come in all sorts of designs and are available at a variety of price points, from expensive, artistically crafted masterpieces to affordable, mass-produced options.