Photo and article by Donna Iverson There are dozens of diminutive mythical characters, like fairies, elves, leprechauns, and trolls, but being a gardener, my favorite is the gnome. Gnomes are earth dwellers and garden helpers. They live in old trees, or underground and can even travel underground, according to some folklorists. Approximately 2 feet tall, gnomes wear pointy hats, usually red, and have white beards on large heads with small bodies. By nature they are not malicious but are mischievous and like to play tricks on humans. At night, gnomes come out to help in the garden or with livestock if you are a farmer. Barn rafters are a favorite place to spend the day. Gnomes are one of the oldest and most popular mythical creatures. In the 1800s, the first garden gnome statue appeared in Germany. Christmas gnomes are the most recent incarnation and have become ever more popular. They are Santa helpers and deliver presents to gardeners and farmers especially those who love plants and animals. For some reason, Christmas elves' eyes are hidden under their hats. Gnomes are long lived ….500 years on average. And they are vegetarians who prefer to drink mead, made with honey, raspberries and spicy gin. Many famous books have gnomes in their tales, including Harry Potter where gnomes tend the wizard’s garden. In Tolkien, gnomes are Santa’s helpers. In recent years, gnomes are featured characters in online games like Warcraft, where players choose a gnome avatar. Author Terry Pritchett also writes about gnomes as did L Frank Baum in the Wizard of Oz. Other interesting facts about gnomes:
There is a gnome park in Madison, Wisconsin, and gnome parades in Atlanta, Savannah, and Cleveland. And if you want to see a gnome mushroom house, Earl Young has built several in Charlevoix, Michigan. Check out: https://www.visitcharlevoix.com/Earl_Young_Mushroom_Houses
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