How to Keep Your Garden Gnomes Happy - A Guide to Gnome Happiness

Garden gnomes ask for very little. A decent spot in the garden, a few flowers, some respectable company, and perhaps the occasional conversation when nobody else is listening.

But where should you actually put a garden gnome? Do gnomes like company? Should they be hidden among the plants or standing proudly where everyone can see them? And, perhaps most importantly, what does it take to keep a garden gnome happy?

There are no official gnome rules, which gives us plenty of room to improvise. Whether you have one slightly suspicious fellow guarding the tomatoes or an entire gnome community taking over the backyard, here are 10 ways to give them the garden life they deserve.

1. Find the Perfect Spot for Your Gnome

Location matters, even when you're only 12 inches tall. Garden gnomes look best when they appear to belong somewhere rather than looking like they were dropped in the middle of the lawn.

Try placing your gnome near flowers, beside a tree, along a garden path, or partially tucked among the plants. A rock, stump, planter, or other sturdy surface can help keep it level and prevent an unfortunate face-first landing after the next storm.

A little shelter from harsh weather doesn't hurt either. Give your gnome a spot with some protection, a decent view of the garden, and preferably somewhere it can keep an eye on the neighbors.

2.Build a Little Gnome Community

One garden gnome is charming. Two start a conversation. Five and you've got a neighborhood association.

Gnomes are traditionally portrayed as social little creatures, so don't be afraid to group several together. Mix different sizes, poses, and personalities to make the garden feel like a tiny community rather than a collection of identical lawn ornaments.

Our garden gnomes aren't exactly known for behaving themselves, so choose their neighbors carefully. Put a few together near a flower bed, along a path, or around a favorite garden feature and let them look like they're up to something.

3. Create a Gnome-Friendly Landscape

A garden gnome looks happiest when there's actually a garden around him. Flowers, leafy plants, ornamental grasses, rocks, and winding paths give your gnome plenty of places to stand guard, hide, or quietly judge your gardening skills.

Try placing gnomes where they can peek through flowers or appear unexpectedly between plants. Fairy lights, miniature furniture, tiny signs, or other small details can add to the fun without turning the entire yard into a theme park.

The best gnome placement looks slightly accidental, as though your gnome chose the spot himself and you're simply allowed to garden around him.

4. Give Your Gnomes a Little Privacy

Even the most sociable gnome needs somewhere to escape the humans occasionally. Instead of putting every gnome front and center, tuck a few among flowers, behind a planter, beneath a shrub, or beside a tree.

Partially hidden gnomes are also much more fun to discover. There's something considerably more magical about spotting a little red hat peeking through the hostas than seeing a gnome standing alone in the middle of the lawn.

Just don't hide them too well. Nobody wants to rediscover a missing gnome with the lawn mower.

5. Add a Few Gnome-Sized Accessories

Every respectable gnome needs a few possessions. Tiny wheelbarrows, miniature gardening tools, little benches, lanterns, signs, or even a small bridge can turn an ordinary garden corner into something that looks suspiciously like gnome real estate.

You don't need to build an entire miniature village. One or two well-placed accessories are usually enough to create the illusion that your gnomes have been busy while you weren't looking.

Just remember, once you give a gnome property, tools, and outdoor furniture, don't be surprised when he starts acting like he owns the place.

6. Keep Their Garden Tidy

Gnomes may look like they enjoy a little mischief, but even they have standards. Pull weeds, trim overgrown plants, clear away fallen branches, and keep their corner of the garden from disappearing completely into the undergrowth.

You don't need a perfectly manicured yard. In fact, a slightly wild garden gives gnomes more places to hide. The goal is somewhere between pristine landscaping and needing a search party to find them.

And when you're working around your gnomes, be careful with garden chemicals and sprays. They're supposed to be guarding the garden, not participating in a pesticide experiment.

7. Celebrate Gnome Day

As if gnomes needed another excuse for attention, they even have a day of their own. International Gnome Day is celebrated on June 10, making it the perfect time to give your garden residents a little extra recognition.

Move them into new positions, add a few flowers or tiny decorations, take their annual family portrait, or introduce a new gnome to the neighborhood. You could even leave out a shiny pebble or small trinket if your gnomes have been particularly well behaved.

Of course, if yours are anything like the Naughty Gnome crew, good behavior may be asking too much.

8. Talk to Your Gnomes

A garden is a perfectly good place to talk to yourself, especially when there's a gnome nearby to make it look intentional.

Gnomes have long been associated with storytelling and folklore, so give yours something to listen to. Talk while you're watering the flowers, play a little music while you work, or fill them in on the neighborhood gossip. They look like excellent secret keepers.

If anyone catches you having a full conversation with a ceramic man in a red hat, just tell them you're encouraging garden morale.

9. Offer Your Gnomes a Snack

Even garden gnomes deserve a snack now and then. According to gnome lore, these little garden dwellers have their own favorite foods, although we're fairly certain they wouldn't turn down a cupcake.

If you're curious about what's actually on the traditional gnome menu, we've already investigated this extremely important subject in What Kind of Food Do Gnomes Eat?.

And judging by the fellow supervising these cupcakes, quality control appears to be taken very seriously.

Just remember: feed the humans the cupcakes. The garden gnomes have survived this long without frosting.

10. Capture the Gnome Magic

Gnomes are surprisingly photogenic, especially when they're caught peeking through flowers, hiding behind a planter, or looking suspiciously guilty beside something they probably shouldn't be near.

Take photos as your garden changes through the seasons. Move your gnomes around occasionally and document their adventures. Before long, you'll have a record of both your garden and the tiny characters who have been supposedly guarding it.

And don't wait for the perfect garden. A gnome popping out of the first spring flowers, buried halfway in autumn leaves, or wearing a cap of fresh snow usually makes a much better picture anyway.

If your gnome mysteriously changes locations between photos, however, we can't help you with that.

Keeping garden gnomes happy isn't complicated. Give them a good spot, a few friends, plenty of plants to hide behind, and just enough attention to make the neighbors wonder about you.

Move them around. Give them something ridiculous to guard. Take their picture when the garden changes. Talk to them if the mood strikes. A garden should have some personality, and gnomes have been providing plenty of that for generations.

Of course, nobody really knows what makes a garden gnome happy. But if yours has good company, a great view, and the occasional cupcake nearby, you're probably doing just fine.

Happy gnome keeping!

FAQ

Where should I put garden gnomes in my yard?

Garden gnomes look most natural near flowers, shrubs, trees, garden paths, planters, or other landscaping. Try partially hiding a gnome among the plants rather than placing it alone in the middle of the lawn. A stable, somewhat sheltered location can also help protect it from wind and weather.

What is the best place for a garden gnome?

The best place is somewhere visible enough to be discovered but tucked into the landscape enough to look like the gnome belongs there. Beside a tree, peeking through flowers, near a garden entrance, or alongside a path can all work well.

What do garden gnomes symbolize?

Garden gnomes are traditionally associated with protection, good luck, nature, and guardianship. Over time, they've also become symbols of humor and personality in the garden, particularly when the gnome in question isn't behaving like a traditional little garden guardian.

Do garden gnomes bring good luck?

Gnomes have long been connected with folklore about protecting homes, gardens, animals, and buried treasure. Whether they actually bring good luck is another matter, but giving one a job guarding the tomatoes certainly can't hurt.

What do garden gnomes like to eat?

Folklore and modern gnome stories give them a surprisingly varied menu, usually involving simple, hearty foods and sweet treats. We went much further down this particular rabbit hole in our guide, What Kind of Food Do Gnomes Eat?.

Should garden gnomes be brought inside for winter?

That depends on what your gnome is made from and your climate. Freezing temperatures, moisture, snow, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles can damage some painted or porous garden ornaments. If you're worried about a favorite gnome, moving it to a protected location for winter is the safer choice.

Why do people put gnomes in their gardens?

Some people like the folklore of gnomes as garden guardians. Others simply like having something funny, unexpected, or slightly ridiculous hiding among the flowers. We support both explanations.