Origination of the garden gnome

The little garden gnomes that you see in many gardens actually originated in the Scandinavian heritage and it was believed that these little human-like creatures inhabited the earth to serve the purpose of caring for and protecting what or whom they were assigned to watch over. Garden gnomes are believed by some, the authentic care taker of the garden - and one might say sent to make the harvest more productive and watch over the critters and creatures that also inhabit the garden. For others, the gnome simply represents an ornamental feature, enhancing their garden with color and joviality.