Gnome Reserve

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The Gnome Reserve
Historic garden gnomes on display at the Reserve

The Gnome Reserve is a garden and tourist attraction at West Putford, near Bradworthy, Devon, England, presented as a pastoral refuge for garden gnomes.[1]

The reserve was established in 1979 by Ann Atkin, a former art student. According to her own account:

"…while painting birds in landscapes I came to what was like a T Junction in my painting development. I did not know whether to turn left or right as different elements of what I liked in painting appeared irreconcilably in opposite directions. It was very disturbing! Until – one day – a gnome appeared in my mind and seemed to say: ‘Don’t go left; don’t go right; you must dig / build your own road straight across.’…

She established the reserve on a 4 acres (1.6 ha) site and remains the owner of the tourist attraction that also sells gnomes.[2] The reserve holds more than 2,000 gnomes and is included in the Guinness Book of World Records.[3] The four-acre Reserve also has model pixies. The area includes woodlands, a stream, pond, meadow and wildflower garden with "about 250 labelled species of wildflowers, herbs, grasses and ferns."[4] Photographs are allowed and encouraged. Gnome hats and fishing rods are loaned to visitors free of charge.[4] It is not uncommon for some Gnomes to eventually get taken by the visitors.[2] The Reserve has refused to sell gnomes with knives on their backs.[5]

See also[]

  • Watermouth Castle, also in North Devon, which is home to Gnome Land, a gnome themed amusement park.

References[]

  1. ^ "Bearded wonder". The Daily Telegraph. 2007-03-16. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  2. ^ a b Damien Fletcher (2008-08-13). "The shadowy world of the sinister Gnome Liberation Front – Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  3. ^ "Gnome sweet gnome: they're back... House & Home –". The Independent. 2008-11-05. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  4. ^ a b "The Gnome Reserve & Wild Flower Garden – fun family day out – Attraction Devon". Gnomereserve.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  5. ^ "Clear case of gnome-icide!". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2006-09-27. Retrieved 2013-08-25.

External links[]

Coordinates: 50°54′57″N 4°20′38″W / 50.915866°N 4.343961°W / 50.915866; -4.343961

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