Tips for Putting a Gnome in Your Yard

Fishing Gnome? Give It A Lake

• We've all seen the classic fishing garden gnome. It's hard not to look at these gnomes without cracking a smile. But, you can give guests to your yard an even bigger reason to smile by giving your fishing gnome a tiny lake in which to fish. The lake might be an existing pond on your property. Or, maybe it's a bird bath or even a child's plastic swimming pool. Place an opened lunch box next to your gnome, a transistor radio and maybe a small cooler to make it look as if your gnome is enjoying a relaxing afternoon at the fishing hole. You might include a homemade sign---something like "The Johnson Fishing Hole" or "The No-Bite Lake"---to complete the scene.

One Gnome Is Fun. Two Or More Are A Party.

• One garden gnome can add a whimsical touch to your yard. Giving this gnome some friends can create an entire enchanted world. By placing more than one gnome in your yard, you can build your own scenes. You can have gnomes peeking out from behind trees or gnomes peering out through bushes. You can have several gnomes marching in a line toward a pond or a squad of the mythical creatures snoozing in a shady corner. Single gnomes are fun. Many gnomes are even better.

Creating Scenes

• You can add personality to your gnomes by giving them each individual worlds to inhabit. If you have a frowning gnome, you might place it in the onion or radish patch in your backyard. If you have a grinning gnome, place it under a pear or apple tree. After all, why wouldn't a gnome grin if it lived under a fruit tree? You might even create small houses out of discarded wood or other materials for your gnomes. You can even create small caves or pathways dotted with signs such as "Gnome Crossing" or "Three Miles To Gnome York."