The first garden gnomes that were mass-produced also came from Germany in the 1870s. The two big names in gnome manufacturing were Philipp Griebel and August Heissner, with Heissner becoming known around the world for his gnomes.
Unfortunately, the world wars wiped out most garden gnome production in Germany, and beginning in the 1960s, the plastic gnomes we know today came on the scene. These gnomes are campy and cartoonish, and many people don't like them.
In the 1980s, companies in the Czech Republic and Poland started to make gnomes and flooded the market with cheaper imitations of the German products.
The American company, Kimmel Gnomes, is one of the few manufacturers of clay and resin gnomes that are finished by hand and not mass-produced. People who want a gnome with some soul seek out these, which come in a variety of sizes and poses.
Why Gnomes
The history of gnomes also passes along the folklore and why you would want one in your garden. Gnomes are known as symbols of good luck.
Originally, gnomes were thought to provide protection, especially of buried treasure and minerals in the ground. They are still used today to watch over crops and livestock, often tucked into the rafters of a barn or placed in the garden.
A garden gnome adds a bit of whimsy and a connection to the old world, where farmers believed the good luck charm could help their fields yield more produce and protect them from thieves, pests and other problems. They were also thought to help gardeners in the night, which we all could use!
