BIG NEWS: Gnome Reserve Gnomes Find a New Home at Merry Harriers Garden Centre

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the June 2021 issue of the International Gnome Club Newsletter.

Ann Atkin is our club’s founder and an inspiration to everyone who loves gnomes all around the world. She and her family ran The Gnome Reserve for over 40 years, which is a place that I had the pleasure of visiting during my honeymoon in 2015. Well, the Atkin family has finally decided to “call it a day” in running the Gnome Reserve and recently sold the property as private house. While you can no longer visit the beloved Gnome Reserve in all its glory any longer, the good news is that the gnomes have relocated to the Merry Harriers Garden Centre, which is a family-run business just a few miles away.

Running the Gnome Reserve was so very enjoyable for Ann and her family members, Richard and Margaret, but also a lot of hard work and everyone is getting older – we can all relate to that! To learn more about this big transition, I asked our very own Ann Atkin a few questions about how all of this came to be.

“I had the most wonderful 42 years with The Gnome Reserve, including The Wildflower Garden and making little pottery pixies daily in The Pixie Kiln, which our visitors (adults and children) liked to take home with them as well as prints of my paintings – landscapes inhabited by gnomes, landscapes inhabited by fairies and some with birds,” Ann said.

When I asked Ann about keeping some of the gnomes from her collection for herself, she said that she still has one gnome – a little painted bronze one with an open umbrella, which she is very fond of. However, the bulk of her collection has now made its way to Merry Harriers.

“As I say, they were 42 really happy years…and I miss it all very much especially the visitors,” Ann said. “We used to loan visitors gnome hats so they could forget about any cares of the world, put on their gnome hats and just be at one with the gnomes (and fairies in The Wild Flower Garden) and the trees, the stream running through the woodland, the birds, mosses, flowers, and nature.  Some of the visitors came just once while on holiday, but lots of them came perhaps every year – and that was so very enjoyable.”

Merry Harriers has now welcomed The Gnome Reserve’s 2,000+ residents so you can visit many of them here in the gardens! This local business in the UK sells plants, garden products, furniture, and even has an onsite restaurant. The Merry Harriers staff was unavailable to be interviewed for this article. But I hope to connect with them and feature their business and their new home for the gnomes in a future issue of Gnome News.  

“It is cheering that Merry Harriers is keeping it going… and I think I shall help them there for about 3 days a week!” Ann said.

I think it’s amazing that Ann will be able to stay involved with her gnomes in their new home and that her collection will be largely kept together for many more people to come see and enjoy. Hopefully one day soon, I will get back to the UK and can visit them at Merry Harriers. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite Gnome Reserve photos to reminisce about old times. I wish Ann, her family, and the Gnome Reserve gnomes all the best in during this transition and their next phase of life!

Gnome Travel in the UK: Fun Guides to Plan Your Trip!

It’s no secret that the UK is THE place to be for all things gnome. Check out a couple blogs from international gnome journalist, Alyssa, to get inspired to a trip across the pond!

My Dream-Come-True Visit to Ann Atkin’s Gnome Reserve

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“Gnome Hunting” with the Boden Gnome Ranger at a Lovely UK Arboretum

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Meet Lampy…The Oldest Gnome in the World (Who’s Overseeing a Cycling Race!)

Here at The Gnome Abode, we got a guy who was born in 1970. Fips has got nothin’ on Lampy, the oldest known gnome in the world.

Lampy is the only survivor of a set of 21 garden gnomes that were important from Germany to Britain in the 1840s. An eccentric spiritualist, Sir Charles Isham, brought Lampy and his dear brothers over in 1847. They were all made out of terracotta, and the whereabouts of Lampy’s brothers’ remains is a mystery.

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Lampy: most treasured father of all gnomes

Isham’s daughters (who sound like miserable people) hated the gnomes and removed them from their property. But sneaky lil’ Lampy survived! And today, he’s considered to be the oldest garden gnome in the world.

In 1997, Lampy was insured for £1 million, and is estimated to be worth £2 million.

WHOA!

You can see Lampy for yourself inside Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire, where he’s been living for over 125 years.

“In Chelsea Flower Show’s centenary year, I can’t think of anything more fitting than an invite for Lampy,” said Lamport Hall’s assistant property manager, Neil Lyon, before the suprisingly gnome-friendly recent event.

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A replica of Lampy the garden gnome (WikiCommons)

So what’s Lampy up to these days?

Well by golly, he’s the guest of honor at an upcoming cycling race…what else?

Cycle 4 Cynthia is taking place on September 21st to raise money for Cynthia Spencer Hospice and the Northhampton charity, Kidsaid, which supports kids who’ve suffered from bullying and abuse. According to the Northampton Chronicle, participants are being encouraged to dress up like dear ole’ Lampy in his honor!

Cyclists will ride five, 25, or 50 mile routes and yes, there are prizes for best costume!

Neil Lyon, Lamport’s Assistant Property Manager, said: “I’m sure Lampy would be pleased to think that he was playing his small part in helping to raise even more money for this wonderful event and he cant wait to see all those riders with red pointed hats perched on top of their cycle helmets pedal off down the drive.”

If your little gnome legs are up for the challenge, sign up for the race at visit www.cycle4cynthia.com!

And this concludes today’s combined lesson of history and current events.

Oh and happy Labor Day to all our lazy non-working American gnomes 🙂

xoxo,
Sketchy Andy the Gnome

Bad Gnomes, Bad Gnomes…Whatcha Gonna Do?

Take a moment out of your drunken Friday stupor to listen to the sirens wailing behind you.

Heh heh made ya look!

That’s probably the Scotch talking. Anyhoo.

Gnomes are being turned into cops, and cops are being turned into gnomes. Or something like that. Police in Durham (UK of course, where else?) have enlisted garden gnomes dressed in uniform to fight crime.

Photo credit: Ceri OakesSWNS.com

Photo credit: Ceri OakesSWNS.com

According to a Daily Mail article, a different gnome representing a different crime will be highlighted in the campaign each week. “Although the introduction of the gnomes is light-hearted and a bit of a gimmick it also has a real purpose for us,” said Chief Constable Mike Barton.

So what are the gnomes specifically fighting against? Theft, drunk driving and shoplifting. Road safety, cycle security, and neighborhood watch are also up for grabs.

I also read that a concrete business in Darlington, Dekra Crete, created the cop gnomes for local law enforcement free of charge. Mad props to local potter, Annette Metcalfe, who painted each one by hand.

Photo credit: Ceri OakesSWNS.com

Photo credit: Ceri OakesSWNS.com

So keep your eye out for these lil’ buggas if you’re in the area, because if you spot all 10, you might just win a prize!

DISCLAIMER: This is a “nudge nudge wink wink” to American police forces, who are entirely too stuffy for their own dang good. Bring on the gnomes. We know how to start shenanigans, which means we kinda sorta know how to stop ’em.

Stay safe out there, kiddos.
Lieutenant SpeakNoGnome the Gnome, Battalion 36

Naughty Knitted Gnomes: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You

Gnomes and crafts kinda sorta go hand-in-hand. Wouldn’t you agree?

One group of knitters in the UK have been knitting up naughty gnomes and strategically placing them in the gardens at the Sunnyfield House Community Center. But these are no ordinary gnomes…these are badass gnomes!

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Some of them are mooning each other, some are karate chopping each other’s heads off, and others are wearing (gasp!) thongs. Clearly, the Guisborough Knitwits are my kind of crafters!

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Apparently, one of the group’s members found a gnome pattern and the other members began interpreting it in different ways, creating super unique gnomes that blew everyone’s mind.

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We Drunk Gnomes think these knitted gnomes are awesome, and although our craft skills are undoubtedly sub-par, we still wanna get our hands on that knitting pattern. So after a little online stalking, I uncovered the Guisborough Knitwits Facebook page. Success!

A creepy stranger message has been sent out into the void in hopes of gaining access to this underground naughty knitted gnome world. Fingers crossed!

xoxo,
Tabitha the Gnome

Photo credit: Guisborough Knitwits