Cheery Cherubs

Garden gnomes may well be welcoming talking points as a lawn decoration, but these cheery cherubs could possibly steel your heart as well.
The little bearded fella with a red pointed hat  can be found in all manner of situations in gardens, but the maidens with yellow hats (and no beards) are les common.  But view a gaggle of them together like this and you might well be persuaded to add some variety to your garden ornaments.
The original gnomes came about in Germany in the 19th century, as ornamental garden dwarfs and history has it that their popularity quickly spread across Europe and wherever gardens were taking prominence.  It is said the first ones appeared here in England in the mid 1800s, but it’s probable that their popularity really took off around 100 years later.
In some circles they are also a trifle controversial — Remember that organisers of the Chelsea Flower Show slapped a ban on them although they did lift it in the year of the 100th anniversary of gnomes.
And then of course there were the Disney characters fashioned after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which saw them become more popular still.
But these cheery maidens  are something else and add a touch of welcome variation to the traditional mind’s-eye image.

Keep a look out for them when you next pass a front garden  with ornamental figurines.