A NOTE FROM TOM CLARK:  Please greet my GREEN THUMB GNOMES. They are ready to help you tend your indoor and outdoor plantings. Their Green Thumbs guarantee that your plants will thrive. You do the watering, repotting and fertilizing and leave the tender-loving-care to the gnomes! They’ll even scare off a slug or two, if so instructed!

The gnome traditions for hundreds of years are of little people who live, work and play in plant and garden settings and woodland parks. The gnomes and I, therefore, have something in common: A Love for Plants!

My own ancestors were all farmers, originating in Scotland and immigrating to southeastern North Carolina a few centuries ago. The soil and what it grows is central to my heritage. So the gnomes and I work together as horticulturists. It is no coincidence that my plants do best when I place a gnome statue nearby.

The sizes of my little people vary so that each arrangement, no matter what the height or hue, has a gnome caretaker that complements its color palette. Azaleas like a large gnome to find shade under their extended branches. pansies like a colorful little fellow to sit amongst them.

Since creating my first gnomes twenty-five years ago, I’ve always placed them along my driveway to not only protect the plants but welcome the guests as well. Visitors have enjoyed seeing how the statues age year by year, changing tone and mellowing from the sun and weather. I also have lots of gnome photos with snow on their noses and birds sitting on their caps. I sometimes “turn them” after a year or so and let the weather nurture their backs for awhile.

When they look a little more mature, I bring them inside to “hide” beneath an arrangement of dried golden rod and iris seed pods. The gnomes seem to say “Hey, just like out in nature!”

I have now designed a unique collection of gnomes with green thumbs to go with plants from all over the country. You will see by their subtle color tones that they like to sit near Kansas Sunflowers and Texas Bluebells. They can hide beneath a Carolina Dogwood or a Connecticut Oak. Some gnomes have a leaf visor for shade in the Arizona sun and for rain protection in Oregon and Washington. They can kneel down in a patch of California poppies and stretch up in a setting next to Ohio corn. Even Christmas Cactus, Poinsettias and other holiday plants are happier with a gnome dressed for the season.

Buy the entire collection and either place them outside to start their natural weathering process or put them indoors in your favorite spot or next to your preferred plants. I have put a special finish on each gnome that helps protect against the elements, yet allows for year-to-year natural aging. After all, you want your little “Green Thumbs” to blend into the environment! All of my garden artworks are hand-cast, using a very special casting mixture to give them a look and feel that flatters all types of plants. In addition, each individual artwork is hand-painted and hand-finished to my exact specifications. As has been the case with all my creations over the past 25 years, all my little Green Thumb folks will retire over time.

AKORN #5560 This Green Thumb Gnome’s favorite time of year is autumn. He likes being in the forest with leaves at his feet and acorns falling all around him. (he calls his hat an acorn deflector). ” There is a lucky quarter with an image of a famous oak tree, also an eucalyptus acorn here from the California ranch of Will Rogers. (hint: there’s a cross in the center.)

ANGELICA #5580  Angelica is a guardian angel for the garden. She is dressed in a springtime gown which is embellished with autumn acorns. Her wings are made of leaves from all seasons. The green leaf on her thumb assures us that she will watch over the growth of all things in the garden. She is a gardener’s guide much as the Native American Sacagawea was for Lewis and Clark. That is why her lucky coin honoring Sacagawea is hung around her neck. Her hands are folded in gratitude for the beauty of the earth and the beauty of the skies. Her thoughts are like those of the poetess Frances Wile who wrote:

“All beautiful the march of days,

As seasons come and go;

The hand that shaped the rose hath wrought

The crystal of the snow;

Hath sent the hoary frost of heaven,

The flowing waters sealed,

And laid a silent loveliness

On hill and wood and field.”

 

 AZALEA #5564  Azalea loves it when someone gives her a potted plant on a special occasion. She enjoys the indoors full bloom, and then she takes her treasures outside to be planted so that it will bloom again in nature without being forced. As you can see from her green thumb she has a way with flowers. Azalea’s garden is the envy of her Gnome neighborhood.  It is no coincidence that she is dressed to match the outdoors. That is where she spends most of her time, so why shouldn’t she have on colors that correspond with blossoms in the garden? Furthermore, her dress acorns came from her favorite tree, and her lucky coin, with flowers of course, is from Japan. Azalea has a special nook in her garden which she calls “Friend’s Corner”. It is filled with plants which were gifts and first arrived in pots. She enjoys showing this area to friends and being able to say, “This one is from my sister, and that one is from the Sunday School class, and that one came last Christmas, and …” She then notes that the plants, just like the friendships that they represent, grow, mature and become even more beautiful over time.

B Q #5578 “Grilled mushrooms, anybody?” B Q is the gnome chef whose specialty is cooking scrumptious food for forest treats. He is proud of his homemade grill, which he fashioned from a tin can that drifted down the creek near where he lives. B Q has a lucky quarter from North Carolina, a state known for its superb Barbeque. This chef can take any plant or root and make it tasty. The aroma from his grill will awaken sleeping creatures within a mile of his backyard. They will soon flock to his area, singing “Hey good looking! Whatcha got cooking?

BACALL #5600 Bogie and Bacall are two green thumb gnomes named for legendary movie stars who were a couple in several films and in real life. Bacall’s first line in her first movie, “To Have and Have Not”, was “Anyone got a match?” Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made quite a match together. Our Gnome couple are also a good match. They like to sit in companion flower pots and enjoy protecting and talking to different species of flowers. If Bacall is among pink petunias, Bogie might like to sit amid blue cornflowers. Bogie’s lucky coin is from Morocco, which will be useful if he wants to go to Casablanca. Bacall’s coin is from South Africa. Even though she wasn’t in the movie, she was certainly Bogart’s “African Queen”.

BARROW #5550 (2003) Barrow is your designated “Clean-up” GREEN THUMB GNOME. He has “adopted” your garden and will “police” the area every day. Place him along your favorite path and he will fill his wheelbarrow with all sorts of lost, dropped and/or discarded items. Then, just check his barrow for all your lost-and-found items. Barrow has already collected a military button, a star, a golf ball, lock, bell, Rotary club lapel pin, bolt (from the lawn mower?), a screw and your lucky penny. The acorns Barrow has selected will be placed in spacious areas where he thinks new trees should grow. Has Barrow forgotten anything? Well, if he has, I left some string in the statue for gathering up loose ends

BITSY #5608

BLOSSOM #5546

BOGIE #5599 Bogie and Bacall are two green thumb gnomes named for legendary movie stars who were a couple in several films and in real life. Bacall’s first line in her first movie, “To Have and Have Not”, was “Anyone got a match?” Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made quite a match together. Our Gnome couple are also a good match. They like to sit in companion flower pots and enjoy protecting and talking to different species of flowers. If Bacall is among pink petunias, Bogie might like to sit amid blue cornflowers. Bogie’s lucky coin is from Morocco, which will be useful if he wants to go to Casablanca. Bacall’s coin is from South Africa. Even though she wasn’t in the movie, she was certainly Bogart’s “African Queen”.

BULB #5548  Picking the right bulb is a lot like selecting a ripe watermelon – experience counts. Your GREEN THUMB GNOME, Bulb, has that experience and will guarantee you top quality when placed near where your bulbs are planted. Presently Bulb is holding a gladiolus bulb for spring planting. If he has done his job well, you’ll have stately blooms and pastel colors in your garden mid summer. Bulb has some special fertilizer in his sack which is his own proprietary barn yard mix. His leaf visor helps him to see during the early afternoon and also adds camouflage to his red hat. His lucky coin is from France and honors all ladies who have to work in his garden..

CALAVERAS #5687 This Green Thumb Gnome is a farmer from the rich fields of California (hence the lucky coin from that state). His overalls have been patched a couple of times, but he may be able to purchase a new pair when he publishes the frog’s story. In 1865, Mark Twain recounted the story of the celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras County, but our gnome is getting the story straight from the frog’s mouth. “Calaveras” has laid down his tools while listening to the tale. The little frog “taking up the rear” is interested as well. If he wants to learn more about this tale from Calaveras, he can just “axe” him.

CEDAR #5547 Green Thumb Gnomes have a tradition of planting a tree in honor of a newborn child. By placing a penny under the tree they guarantee good luck to the child – and to the tree! While Cedar is taking a pause from his digging and planting, he thinks about the little child commemorated by this cedar tree. The acorns all around him guarantee that there will be many trees in the future beside the one he is now planting so carefully. When you see a green leaf on the thumb you know the gnome is fond of gardens. Do you “Cedar” green thumb?!

CHRISTMAS ON MY MIND #5698 Every Christmas there is a traditional party at the North Pole for Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves. This year the theme is a karaoke contest, and the Christmas party invitation said to “come as your favorite entertainer.” Each individual has to impersonate an entertainer of their choice. Santa Claus has gotten himself a pair of dark glasses and a bow tie. He is really getting into the spirit of the party by singing “Christmas on my Mind.” If the elves would like to join in, they can grab a trumpet or the drums or the French horn. With the addition of the piano, they can have a real band playing. If you’d like, Santa will play a few tunes—I Can’t Stop Loving Christmas, Hit the Road Rudolph and Hallelujah I Love Christmas So. Of course, Santa Claus can never truly disguise himself. No matter who he tries to impersonate, we’ll always recognize his red suit, his round shape and his beard. So he can’t sing, You Don’t Known Me, but he can get us into the happy spirit of Christmas by leading us in singing, Let the Good Times Roll!

CORNELIUS #5685 When you’re growing corn you need to have a good working knowledge of farming. It is especially helpful if you have an agricultural Gnome living nearby. Cornelius is such a Gnome. Not only does he have a green thumb (see his logo), but he also stays in the field and checks the crop when the farmer is not there. Cornelius, himself, is a bit small for operating a tractor (such as the one on the lucky coin), but he is a professional at pulling up weeds and chasing off crows! I shop for corn in the village of Cornelius, North Carolina. Furthermore, the gardener and land steward whom I most admire is a gentleman named Earl Cornelius. So I have good reasons for naming this corn protector “Cornelius.”

DARBY AND JOAN #5610 Since the 18th century, Darby and Joan have been known in literature to be the quintessential, happily married, elderly couple. These gnomes with the same names have put their heads together for a trip down memory lane. “Do you remember when . . .”? Joan most likely does remember, but she enjoys hearing Darby retell the story. When love grows older, memories stay new. There are two linked oak acorns sitting in front of them and two birds on the South African coin that they found in the forest. Like them, Darby and Joan will stay head -to-head and back to back for year and memories to come.

DAYTONA #5601 

DRENCH #5588 This Green Thumb Gnome works for the Cairn Fire Department. He is their best “hose-down” man. When off duty he tackles the water hose in his own backyard. He knows that one setting does not fit all. The impatients take more water and the marigolds take less. The big leaf plants like to be soaked, and the African violets are content with a mere misting. Drench is a professional at watering. On the back of his statue you can see his fireman’s badge, based on a design of the badge in Denver, Colorado. Cheers to Drench; he can put out any fire or wake up any plant.

DR. GREEN JEANS #5567  Every garden occasionally needs a good plant Doctor. Dr. Green Jeans is the best. He can tell when a plant is in need of vitamins, enriched soil, more sun and water… and he knows precisely when they need tender loving care! The good doctor wears the traditional color of green, similar to the color used by doctors in our hospitals. In Greenjean’s environment, he blends in with the foliage. The mirror on his eye glass helps him to detect diseases, like black spot on roses. The stethoscope aids him in checking the growth rythms of the plants. He keeps his gloves at the ready in case he has to protect his hands before “amputating” dead leaves and branches. His lucky coin is from France and celebrates people who are involved in planting gardens. When the plants ask him for his prescription for good health, he usually says “Get plenty of rest, sunshine, fresh air and vitamins. And drink lots of fresh water during hot weather. Also, be sure to remove distracting “weeds” from your environment.” That sounds like a pretty good prescription for the good health of all of us as well!

HEDGE #5609

HOSTA #5606

ITSY #5611

KING AUTEM #5575 The harvest is over and it’s time to celebrate! For the Green Thumb Gnomes this means displaying the fruits of the field. Rows of com are Laid out, acors are piled into Cair cone heaps and purmpkin pie is brought out for all to enjoy. The lestival begins with the arrival of King Auter, whose coronet is a pumpkin and the “gens” that encirde it are pumpkin seeds His scepter is a perfectly formed acorn, and he will raise it to get the quiet attention of the dan. Then he will regale them with the ancient stories of the origin of The Harvest Festival *It predates Thanksgiving but its purpose is the same. We give thanks that the harvest is in and that we will have food for the winter. Everyone is to be thanked for their tending the gardens of the community, and gratitude is to be expressed for the rain, the sunshine and the good soil. And for all of this bountiful plenty, we give thanks to God. Now I see that some com has been dropped as well as pecan nuts. They must all be picked up and stored. The King has spoken!” There’s a lucky penny on the base. King Auter affirms, “It’s good sense to celebrate the harves… and I wouldnt give you two cents for store-bought food!”

KINGFISH #5622

LEON #5596 Sandra and Leon are named for two fine people who know how to get the most out of a dollar. So if you have a young plant that needs a little nurturing to achieve above average growth, place Sandra and Leon in the soil of the pot. They will happily watch over the plants all day long. Their services will be worth a million dollars to the gardener. Let their feet hang over the side of the pot and you will find that the Gnomes will talk to the plants and keep them free of weeds.

LILY PON #5552 Lily Pon likes ponds, so if you have any ponds, pools or puddles, she might be happy situated nearby. As a Green Thumb Gnome she is especially adroit at looking after plants associated with water. In fact, water lilies are her specialty. Fortunately Lily has a fondness for frogs and can even distinguish different croaks. In this incident, she has found a lost little frog who has become separated from his mother “I didn’t know where he was, ” his mother said.” I thought Froggy went a’ courtin'” This Green Thumb Gnome is named for the opera and movie star, Lily Pons, whose opening recital in the Hollywood Bowl attracted the largest audience in the Bowl’s history. Lily was a living legend.

LUCINDA #5593 This Green Thumb Gnome is proudly named for a lovely lady in Knoxville, Tennessee, Lucinda Denton. She encouraged me to honor the Red Hat Society with a statue. This Society is dedicated to having fun (hence, the lucky coin on the base of the statue says “Fun For All”.) The members have a meal together on appointed days, and they come dressed in purple wearing a red hat. Naturally my Green thumb Gnomes wanted to get in on the fun, so they too founded a group that would “echo” that of the humans around them. Of course, you have to be a least age 200 to join, since Gnomes generally live to be 400. By age 200 they are through raising their children, and the house chores are fairly routine. So there is time for gettogethers that are strictly for fun and fellowship. It is no accident that this gnome lady is wearing a blouse that boasts the design of a big heart! The dress has a few Gnome red hats on the skirt. Lucinda’s hat is tied down by a scarf because she sometimes finds it hard to keep what she’s heard “under her hat”. This Lucinda is grateful to the Red Hat Society Lucinda for getting her first Gnome chapter started. Wanta join?

MERRY MARY #5686 Our garden gnome obviously has a Green Thumb if she can grow strawberries as large as this one! The rabbit thinks that her smaller berries are delicious too. The little penny must be the down payment on his strawberry snack. How nice to have a nickname that means “cheerful.” Better “Merry Mary” than “Sad Sack,” since everyone likes being around someone with her warm disposition. No doubt this little lady has lots of suitors. She’ll probably choose one who has selected Christmas time to marry Merry Mary!

MOON #5682 This little Garden Gnome got his nickname because he loves moonlight nights. He likes to tell folks about the many moon flowers that he has seen during his lifetime. They may bloom only a night or two during the long summer. “Moon” will give a penny for every moon flower you can find at midnight. He has a coin in his knapsack for that purpose. Moon’s best line is, “I’s a broad brik moonlic nic,” which translates to, “it’s a big bright moonlit night.”  Here in the strawberry patch his pet Snow Owl has landed on his falconer’s glove. The snow owl is well known as a traveling messenger. He can make direct flights with ease. However, if a very quick contact needs to be made, “Moon” will use his cell phone, from the OWLTEL company. When he answers his phone he always says, “Whoooooo’s there?”

MR. GREEN THUMB JUNIOR #5557 Like his father, Green Thumb Senior, Junior’s main interests are in the health and productivity of the flora in his garden. He is standing by his bag of seeds, which will insure yet another season of flowers, shrubs and trees. He has been busily planting seeds, and now has taken off his garden gloves. He is surveying your plants and garden with pleasure. Only the “gardener” in him can tell what has already been done, for weeds removed and seeds planted can’t be appreciated by the casual observer. Hopefully the birds of the air will spot Junior’s red hat and know to leave his garden alone for now. When spring comes there’ll be plenty of flowers and seeds for the enjoyment of the entire neighborhood.

MRS. POTTER #5566 This lady with the green thumb likes to garden in pots. As you can see from the lucky Japanese coin (100 yen), Mrs. Potter’s interest is flowers. But before you can have blossoms you have to prepare the soil and plant the seeds. Mrs. Potter is doing what many gardeners do in the early spring: getting the pots ready. She cleans out the pots from the previous season and finds that one particular pot appears to have been used as a secret deposit box for some squirrel’s acorn collection. She has also found that some of her potted plants need to be repotted. They get “root bound” and need a new home. Like people who sometimes uproot themselves and divide their possessions, plants often need to be divided and placed in a new environment more conducive for healthy mature growth. Mrs. Potter doesn’t ever like to throw out a plant. “Oh”, she’ll say “they may be getting older, but just give them some fresh soil and a new pot. Then you’ll see them blossom even more beautifully this year.” She winks, because she seems to be talking about herself as well!

NARCISSI BLOEM #5694 (January, 2005) “Cisi” brings in the first hint of spring into the house. The bulb that she has in the pot the potential of becoming a paperwhite flower, the first harbinger of the end of winter. Should she be outside to bloom in the garden? Or should she try forcing it to bloom in the house? It certainly needs a larger pot, regular watering and a sunny (but not too hot) place in the room. Give it seven or eight weeks, and its beauty and fragrance will overwhelm her (and you too!). Gnomes with green thumbs know best how to encourage sleeping bulbs to awaken. All they really have to do is say the name of this sweet lady, “Narcissi Bloem!”

NICKLAUS #5607 This little gnome is proud of being named in honor of his favorite golfer, Jack Nicklaus. His parents thought the name would bring him good luck, especially since they live near a golf course. Although he isn’t large enough to play professional golf, the gnome, Nicklaus, is constantly on the lookout for stray balls. If you ever lose one near his home, just whistle, and he will divide the grass around the ball so that you can find it. To help golfers make a longer drive, Nicklaus has replaced the tee with a thimble. This will help make the shot ‘sew’ good. The lucky coins add up to 55. Is that an impossible score for 18 holes? Maybe not—just look at the coins again. See, there’s a “hole in one”!

NUTTY AND THE PROFESSOR #5605  “Nuts”! That’s what interests these two characters—Nutty, the mouse, and the botany Professor. A book on nuts is helping the old teacher identify all the acorns on the base. He belongs to the Green Thumb Society as you can see from the logo on the book cover. A leaf on his thumb confirms his membership. Sometimes a small limb of a tree gets too burdened down with new acorns, and that is when the Professor takes the axe and cuts them loose. Why are the mouse and Professor staring ahead? Perhaps another mouse is helping himself to “their” acorns. Or maybe they see the rabbit who posed for the coin from Zimbabwe. Some folks say that a mouse helped Ben Franklin with his inventions. Maybe this mouse is helping the Professor with his research . . . or is that Nutty?

O’HARA #5577 This garden gnome is named for the owner of Tara in “Gone with the Wind”. The plantation was noted for its fertile fields and fine crops. The lucky coin is a quarter from Georgia, the home state of the famed Tara. Our O’Hara is checking out the directions for distributing the plant food that is in the sack. Once the sack is empty, the gnome will wash the sack and use the material for patching his work clothes. There are two small rabbits from the O’Hare family waiting for the crops to grow. They are wondering “Are the carrots for O’Hara or the O’Hares?”

PERENNIAL SANTA #5579 Annual flowers are beautiful and fun to plant, but some gardeners think that the best crops are perennials that come back year after year without having to be “invited”. Santa is like that, for he returns every year to homes & gardens everywhere. The clippers that he has are hard to wrap, so he has just tied a ribbon on them and they will beckon the gardener from under the Christmas tree. There is a “creature stirring” and it’s a mouse. Fortunately he’s busy reading a book about gardening rather than looking for holiday cheese treats. No lucky coin is needed for all the presents are free to this home. When they get their spring garden planted it will truly bring “Joy” to their world.

POPPY #5587 The California poppy was the inspiration for this little Green Thumb Gnome. “Poppy” was having his daily stroll around the Pebble Beach Golf course when – Surprise! – he found a lost golf ball. “It’s over here!” he shouted. Gnomes love golf courses (they usually play at night). If you are sensitive to Gnomes and appreciate their presence, they will help you find your lost golf balls. My good friend and Gnome collector, Frosty, sent me the divot from California. It will be used by Poppy to replace any turf disturbed by a golfer’s club. The lucky coin says “Good for one fare” which really means it is good for getting back on the “Fare way”. “Poppy”, I asked, “Are you, like George Washington, the Founding Father of your Gnome country?” He answered “No, but when it comes to locating golf balls I have “Found’em Farther” than Washington could have ever hit one!”

QUEENIE #5684 This lady Gnome is known for her big heart. She has a heart that takes in everyone she meets. All of her dresses even have hearts on them! Her Gnome friends refer to her as the Queen of Hearts! Her lucky coin (from New Zealand) pictures another Queen who has won the hearts of millions, Queen Elizabeth II. “Queenie” says that her heart feels for animals as well as people. With this in mind, the little rabbit thinks that it is time for him to give her his heart in return. This charms Queenie’s sense of humor. Only she would wear an apron that proves she is a “card”!

SANDRA #5597 Sandra and Leon are named for two fine people who know how to get the most out of a dollar. So if you have a young plant that needs a little nurturing to achieve above average growth, place Sandra and Leon in the soil of the pot. They will happily watch over the plants all day long. Their services will be worth a million dollars to the gardener. Let their feet hang over the side of the pot and you will find that the Gnomes will talk to the plants and keep them free of weeds.

SHAMROCK #5604 When Irish eyes are smiling, sure ‘tis like a morn in May! And Shamrock’s eyes are smiling all the time. Of course, when it’s time for some Irish stew, he smiles a little broader, although he has eaten so much of his favorite food he can no longer button his vest all the way down. His new walking stick, a shillelagh, was a little too tall for him, so he cut it down to size. You can find the top of the stick lying on the base. You can also find his lucky Irish coin, which you may want to use when buying an Irish sweepstakes ticket. The leaf on his “green thumb,” as well as the logo on his top hat are indications that he belongs to the leprechaun branch of Green Thumb Gnomes. He can make any garden green just by whistling for some Irish Mist to settle on the yard. He was proud of his nice hat . . . until a bird sat on it and made a dent. But no dent was made in Shamrock’s smile. By the way, if you like Ireland, you’ll be able to find a smiling face in Shamrock’s beard.

SHELL OYL #5695

SKOAL #5592 “Skoal!” A Toast To Your Health is the meaning of this Scandinavian term.The Danes, the Swedes, the Norwegians and the Finns all use this expression when toasting one another. These four countries also share a love for lore about Gnomes. In Norway the Gnomes are called “Tomte” or Nisse.” In Sweden they are called “Tomtebisse.” The Danes call them “Nisse” and the folks in Finland call Gnomes “Tonttu.” Your Gnome, “Skoal” is dressed in traditional colors of blue (coat) and red (hat.) His boots are heavy duty. His pouch contains his tool kit. Even his acorn drinking cup will fit inside the pouch. He has found a good luck coin, from Norway, which indicates this is his lucky day! The little green leaf on his hand proves that he is a member of the elite Green Thumb Gnomes. Perhaps “Skoal” grew the elderberry flowers from which the tea in his cup is made. Sometimes he uses raspberry blossoms, which ferment quickly. He has even been known to brew homemade wine and beer, but he doesn’t give out the recipe. When asked for it, he will only say, “Skoal!”

SPRIG (#5603) AND SPROUT #5602 These two garden gnomes are brothers and grew up loving plants. They played among the pots that their parents used, and they learned what makes a plant healthy. Even now, in their old age, they enjoy “potting” around with flowers and green plants. If you place these characters inside a flower pot, like African Violets or Primrose, you’ll see how effective these gnomes are at encouraging growth. Both Sprig and Sprout have lucky pennies that they will use in their gardening. There is an old gnome custom to put a penny in the soil under a plant for good luck. The handbag contains more coins if they run out!

STARBUCK #5570 (2003) A penny for your thoughts! Perhaps you are wondering why this Green Thumb Gnome has two pennies in his hand…or why he is looking up and protecting his head with a large leaf. Wonder no more: it’s raining pennies from heaven!Like his namesake, the main character in the production “Rainmaker”, Starbuck is the gnome called on to encourage the skies to yield moisture. Sometimes he beats a tin can to imitate thunder, and sometimes he climbs a tree and pours out a bucket of water. Maybe, just maybe, the skies will imitate Starbuck’s demonstration.For his effort, he has been awarded with real USA coppers from the sky. But as every dedicated gardener knows, pennies don’t grow plants. The best reward hails from the skies: life-giving rain. If things become a little dry, let Starbuck participate in helping it precipitate. In other words, put him outside for awhile.

TATTOO #5612 When a macho gnome rolls up his sleeves, the other folks usually run for cover. But this time is different. Tattoo just wants to show off his new tattoo. There can’t be any doubt now that the toughest of the gnomes loves his Mom! Tattoo has found a lucky Irish coin, which is right behind his feet. It shows a mother hen followed by her chick. Likewise, no matter how old or strong or how far away from the nest the gnome child gets, he’s still proud to be a ‘Momma’s boy.’ I sculpted this artwork during Mother’s Day weekend, so the theme seemed appropriate. Of course, it is really appropriate for any day of the year when you love and honor your mother. The tattoo on Tattoo is for life . . . and so is his love for mom!

THIMBLE AND FRED #5690 Our gnome, “Fred,” and “Thimble,” the mouse, are about to go into stitches as they laugh at each other wearing thimble hats. One lucky coin is from Somalia, showing an elephant, the animal that is so afraid of mice. Our “mighty mouse” is standing on a spool of Clark’s thread, and under the thimble and in Fred’s hand is a coin from Norway. The ten ore piece shows a bee because, well, after all, it’s a sewing bee!

TOBEE FINCH #5576 When this garden gnome was born, a Tobee Finch landed on the window sill. Thus his parents named him for the bird that sang about his birth. Ever since, Tobee has loved birds and is responsible for keeping the feeders full. *This particular feeder will not only provide a feast for the birds in the neighborhood, but will be a nice bird house for a wren couple when the seeds are eaten away. There is a lucky coin from Bermuda on the statue. It depicts a tropical bird with quite a tail to tell! *The sunflower seeds will invite all species to the feast. The corn will beckon the crows, but the little seeds are for the sparrows.

TREAT #5683 This Green Thumb Gnome is an environmentalist who believes that all things in nature have an interconnecting role to play. He ardently believes that God doesn’t play games with the universe – that there is an awesome and elegant reasoning to all we perceive. So, in Treat’s mind, even mice are a part of the grand scheme of things in this world. Maybe they even deserve a treat once in a while!  “Treat” has come upon two mice who have been gnawing away at a walnut and not getting much in return for their labor. Thus, Treat is offering the little creatures a “Toastie.” This cracker is from North Carolina, as is the lucky coin honoring the Carolina Panthers. That’s a “cat” that can really endanger a mouse! Their names are “Rich” and “Creamy,” just like the Toastie.

WELCOME HOME GTG #5585 Have you ever arrived home and then discovered that you had misplaced the key? Well, worry no more about that happening, for John Jeffrey has a skeleton key to make certain that you get in and are Welcome Home! The name “Katie” in the center of the key is in honor of John Jeffrey’s granddaughter, who has the key to his heart. My home town is Elizabethtown, North Carolina. The lucky coin on this statue shows the old courthouse, around which I used to roller skate. The coin celebrates the town’s Bicentennial (1773- 1973). When I visit Elizabethtown along the Cape Fear River, the folks always “Welcome me Home.” Please place “John Jeffrey” near your front door – either inside or outside – so that he, too, can Welcome You Home!

WINGNUT The best plant enthusiasts are those crazy about the birds that visit the garden looking for seeds and treats. Wingnut is paying special attention to plants that will provide seeds for his fine-feathered friends. Around Wingnut you will find an abundance of plants like nandinas and dogwoods because their bright berries attract lots of birds. The little blue bird being fed by Wingnut is enjoying sunflower seeds and other treats. The lucky coin is from Brazil and depicts two exotic birds on a limb. To Wingnut, all birds are exotically beautiful, be they parrots or swifts. On the base there’s a hollowed out pecan nut, indicating that there’s a hungry squirrel hanging around. But that won’t prevent Wingnut from putting out more birdseed. After all, if he doesn’t feed them, it may be “Bye, Bye, Birdie.”

WOODS #5554 Dear Lord of all Nature, For the beauty of the earth and for the fruit of the field I give thee thanks. Although I am but a Green Thumb Gnome, I see thy wondrous works in close proximity. The veins of leaves are beautiful and the symmetry of the acorns is marvelous to behold. Accept my gratitude for the fruits that delight as well as nourish us.. for the trees that give shade and timber.. for the flowers that charm us and refresh the creatures that inhabit them. Grant, O Lord, that I may be a good steward of the section of earth allotted to me. Keep me mindful of the ill effects of weeds and the nourishment needs of the plants that depend upon me. I remember the adage, “he who plants a seed beneath the sod.. and waits to see.. believes in God.” I do believe and praise thee for the beauty of the earth.