I don't particularly love or hate them, I'm actually pretty apathetic towards them lol. I do think they are little too common now. I would never go out with the specific desire to buy a gnome but if someone gave me one, or I found one at a yard sale, I wouldn't mind displaying it.

I like the little guys. I think they are jolly looking, sorta like sanata's elfs.I like them in my garden,lurking from behind my hosta's. They add a little color and interest to my garden. I've got 2 little gnomes. Hope to add more some day.

You might want to check out the garden junk forum. Though then you'll be weighted on the admiring side.
kathy

I love my garden gnomes, here's a few:
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Got a cute one near my front door, the Welcome gnome to.

I'd like maybe one, half hidden as a sort of surprise in the garden. More then that and it seems a bit kitsch (just my personal opinion).

I think garden gnomes and elves are creepy.

This is probably due to my being Swedish and gnomes/elves are always responsible for snatching children or doing something evil in Swedish bedtime stories.

Nothing like frightening a child with abduction by a gnome before bedtime, huh?

I also get the creeps from clowns.

Yes, I am aware of the lack of reason this phobia is based on.

First off, your thesis sounds a lot more fun than mine.

Second, I love garden gnomes! I personally have pink flamingos, but if I run across the right gnome I'd get him. It can't just be any gnome though. No plastic piece for me. You have to have an appreciation for the absurd and kitschy.

Hi
Once ran accross a survey on the "tackiest" garden ornaments. lol Wife wanted to nominate my Gnomes lol
I found a site that sold ornaments But made my ornaments look downright works of art . Best i think was ten foot tall plastic palm trees available in pink, purple,or muti colored.lol For a few bucks more you could get color changing illumination!!!
Or maybe better, an inflatable gorilla. up to 30 foot tall. Was available in purple .pink and for the consevative , black with brown!!
Wish I could find that site again !! People really buy this stuff??? gary

I think a whole herd of them coming down a hill (someone elses hill, not in my neighbourhood) would be neat, but I wouldn't mingle with them after dark.

Since they started using the "traveling gnome" to advertise one of those get-your-hotel-room-cheap places, I vote on the ghastly side.

I think I am up to 15 of them. They add some early spring interest to my garden before my hosta are unfurled. Once the plants are going strong, you have to really look to find them. This is how I like it. This way they do not compete with my perennial shade garden. I want there to be no confusion as to what is the star attraction in my garden. It seems to me gnomes are rather shy creatures and really do not like being fully exposed. Come fall they begin appearing again. Before long they need a brushing off and a bath before they are put to bed for the winter. Today the snow is about half gone, water is running everywhere. I can hear my gnomes beginning to wake up and beg to be let out of the winter cupboard. How I wish I could let them out!!

My gargoyles scared them all away.

I was unfortunate enough to have seen the movie "Leprauchan" when I was a child. And since gnomes slightly resemble that awful creature, they make me a bit uncomforatble. But I would think they would add an interesting element if tucked away here and there. Although then they might have the one up since they are hidden. Do you think some are ankle biters??

I used to think they were tacky little guys, but I have grown to like them. I prefer the ones that are a little antiqued, weathered, or plain colored. The traveling gnome probably actually helped change my mind, his days go bad about like mine sometimes:)