Gnome invasion - garden gnomes - Brief Article

Country Living Gardener, Dec, 2001 by Kathryn Drury

Garden gnomes, popular in Victorian gardens and then again in the 1930s and '40s, are making a comeback. While they are disdained by trendy garden designers, the little ceramic (or plastic) guys are holding their own. The British supermarket Tesco is selling a version that looks like Prime Minister Tony Blair, while in the United States an artist has created miniature Russell Crowe gladiator gnomes.

France is even home to a "gnome liberation" group that steals the jolly dwarves from homeowners and relocates them to unlikely places such as cathedral steps or traffic circles. In fact, gnomes are the most frequently stolen garden ornament, so if you own one, keep an eye on it!