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Gnomes Carve Out Life in Houzz Users' Gardens
Guarding the landscape or just supplying smiles, gnomes have won the hearts of Houzzers across the country. Here's a roundup
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
I have had so much fun watching Houzzers answer our call for gnomes all week. You all have some very talented gnomes! Some of them guard, some delight, some move around, others travel internationally, while one plays with real chickens. I want to honor them with their very own ideabook so you can admire them in one place.
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I think I already have written in my head half the book that should go along with these gnomes from Houzz user hdm9771. The one in the front is lost in a daydream, and the one in red is up to no good. The one with the red beard knows what's about to happen and is going to watch it play out.
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This gnome, plant and blue sky make for a photograph I'd like to blow up and put on my wall. "This gnome resides under a common milkweed in my sister-in-law's garden," says Houzz user Jennifer Baker. "He is her garden muse."
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"Gnomie came into my life in college," says Robbie Daniels. "He's climbed in my suitcase (without me knowing it) many times. Living here in China, I don't have a garden, but he still manages to get by and make friends along the way. I caught him in the act in Thailand and Tibet, and in Beijing conversing with dragons.
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Here is Gnomie making more new friends on his travels.
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Chihuahua made lemonade out of lemons — er, a gnome out of a diseased tree. In 1989, four live oak trees were destroyed by oak wilt disease, so chihuahua made this chain saw sculpture gnome from one of them.
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Because every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed gnome. ... Doesn't this gnome look like he's in the band ZZ Top? Owner arnaudin says, "He keeps watch over my office."
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Some gnomes travel with their owner and get used to new environments.
Gnome owner dfoster says, "We moved from Tennessee to Montana, and a friend sent 'a little bit of Tennessee' to us by way of this little UT gnome. Right now, he is awaiting sunny skies to make his home in our flower bed, but he has been traveling extensively since making his way to Montana."
Gnome owner dfoster says, "We moved from Tennessee to Montana, and a friend sent 'a little bit of Tennessee' to us by way of this little UT gnome. Right now, he is awaiting sunny skies to make his home in our flower bed, but he has been traveling extensively since making his way to Montana."
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Sometimes we just have gnomes around to make us smile. Chris Piel says, "I haven't named him yet. He makes me happy when I see him."
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These gnomes stay in the shade in hot Denton, Texas. "I put my little gnome family in an old birdbath I have in my front yard under a big oak tree, and they make me smile every day," says owner kidslatte.
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I had no idea gnomes had sunglasses until you all submitted your pictures. This dapper guy belongs to Houzz user burbridgemag.
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Gnomes can stand up to extreme weather. Owner josicampbell says, "My Gnome cheerfully greets me even after a snowfall."
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This gnome is a big hockey fan. "We're avid gardeners and Philadelphia Flyers fans," says owner hbailey3705, "so this little guy was a perfect addition to our yard. He is facing an outdoor TV so he can keep an eye on the games."
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NNKN received this gnome from her husband on Mother's Day, and it's a favorite gift. Her husband hand-painted it for her.
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Gnomes may look like they are just loitering, but the truth is they are very active. "My gnome is a swinger," says kroni. "He lives in the oak tree of my NW Mississippi front yard."
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Originally used on German farms to ward off thieves, agricultural gnomes are finding themselves employed in new ways. "My little guy keeps my chickens company in my backyard by the beach in Los Angeles," Bette says.
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Another chicken enjoys the company of Bette's gnome.
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This gnome has patience. Owner wesdaniels explains that he's "sitting and waiting for the spring plantings."
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"My little guy must be the 'evil' gnome because once I placed him in my hosta beds, and my girls (dogs) stopped tearing through them and tossing up leaves like so much salad," says jaypamwhite. "I like to think of him as a gentle sentry."
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57downy says, "This is my garden gnome. He found these real toadstools and placed them beside his tree."
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"We have about 34 gnomes in our house (they sort of come and go), including eight gnomes I've made myself," says Kaytea Petro. "They are characters from a comic book I'm working on called Gnometown."
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Be careful buying a gnome for someone else; you may end up wanting one for yourself. Amber Ritter says, "I bought a gnome just like this but red for my daughter-in-law for Christmas. I liked it so much that I bought one in turquoise for me."
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Houzz staffer Doug Durando showed us a portion of his mother's gnome collection. "She's also smitten with flamingos," he says, "and, oddly, tomatoes."
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Gnomes are often passed down within families. Houzz user phizziwig says, "This gnome was passed on to my husband's mother from her mother about 20 years ago. He has lived indoors since that time, first at my mother-in-law's and now with me. I took him outdoors for the photo shoot, and I think he really enjoyed it!"
I would have thought this was his house, wouldn't you?
I would have thought this was his house, wouldn't you?
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This gnome is carefully checking on the rain gauge. "I love moving my gnomes around," says Houzz user Organized Impressions. "After all, they have come a long way from Germany (which is where I am from, but we now live in the beautiful Crescent City of New Orleans). My gnomes are taking over our balcony one by one."
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Gnomes are part of the art for Christen Lucas, who says, "We are photographers and did a gnome shoot last week ... and thought it would be perfect to share. You can see the whole shoot, but here is a little peek. I actually just got the vintage little gnome last week from a fellow photog ... so adorable!"
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"We blame missing cookies, mystery spills and all other naughtiness on our gnome," says Houzz market editor Lily Gahagan. "It's the secret to a happy home!"
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Some gnomes seem to have extraterrestrial powers. Hopengilly says, "Sugar, the cat, was almost beamed aboard the wheelbarrow of these two gnomes in our garden."
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There is no rest for the weary gnome. "Here is Mr. Gnomie, always hard at work," says owner lidabida.
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Mary Dolata's gnomes enjoyed the garden last summer.
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I'm not sure how this gnome keeps watch with that hat over his eyes, but owner catherinewood says, "This is Phred, my garden gnome, and he protects my backyard. Kinda looks like he should be in the diamond mines; that's why I got him. Hopefully find a diamond in the rough in my flowers."
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This Philippe Starck Gnome and tree stump stool belong to Houzz user furpants. "Our gnome and log have been with us for 10 years now. They move around our space a lot and remind us not to take our designs too seriously." Amen, furpants, amen.
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I'm going to finish this ideabook with the sweetest gnome story of the bunch. Houzz user sunshine1968 says, "Our gnome is named Michael, after my daughter's dad, who passed away suddenly a year and a half ago. She is 12 here and it's her grad day for grade 7. She wanted a piece of her dad with her. Michael is our guardian angel. He looks after our garden and us. Her dad always had a green thumb, and we thought it was fitting."
This was probably the most fun I've ever had putting an ideabook together. I'd like to thank everyone for sharing your gnomes and stories with us.
Add your gnome photo below!
More:
Something a Little Different: Fairy Houses
Houzz Tour: 'Hobbit House' in Pennsylvania Countryside
This was probably the most fun I've ever had putting an ideabook together. I'd like to thank everyone for sharing your gnomes and stories with us.
Add your gnome photo below!
More:
Something a Little Different: Fairy Houses
Houzz Tour: 'Hobbit House' in Pennsylvania Countryside
Ideabook published on April 11, 2012.
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I LOVE the pic of kitty with the gnomes and the sunbeams shining down on them!
The website is as far as I can see only in German so to help you navigate: the entire left side menu is the different types of gnomes they produce.
How about a bungee jumping one?