Sir Charles Isham, an English aristocrat, originally brought the ceramic gnomes to his Northamptonshire estate in the 1860's from Germany, where they were first manufactured and called der Gartenzwerg. He was a spiritualist, and placed them in his rock garden, around trees, and caves. As kooky as it may sound, he actually believed there were real living gnomes, and wrote about the ones he saw in a book, "Notes on Gnomes."
At that time, gnomes were good-luck charms. Garden gnomes were very popular in Victorian times. There was a revival of interest during the 1930's and 40's. As a result of World War II, they disappeared. During the 1960's, they showed up again. In recent years, they've gained in popularity. As a matter of fact, sales have been so good that some manufacturers make ones suitable for seasonal use, particularly for Christmas.
In England, plastic garden gnomes are often viewed by some as kitsch in much the same manner as Americans look down on pink flamingos. If one buys a good quality ceramic figure, it should be displayed with pride. Yet, Horticulture magazine reported that the English police threatened one resident with arrest if he didn't remove four nude gnomes from his roof. Though the report didn't go into detail, perhaps the gnomes were seen as indecent.
Trendy garden designers may disdain these decorations, but ordinary folks still like them. In fact, Tesco-a British supermarket sold one that looked like Prime Minister Tony Blair. Now, gnomes are an icon of pop culture. But this still isn't good enough for some, as the Chelsea Garden Show forbids their use in displays.
Gnomes have appeared in "The Full Monty" as well as in commercials, including ones at the Superbowl and for Travelocity. They also show up in the Harry Potter book series.
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