Gnome Reserve
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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 the 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 is also home to model pixies. The area includes woodlands, a stream, pond, meadow and wildflower garden with "about 250 labelled species of wild flowers, herbs, grasses and ferns."[4] Photographs are encouraged; and gnome hats and fishing rods are loaned to visitors free of charge so they can blend in.[4] Gnomes sometimes go missing.[2] The Reserve has refused to sell gnomes with knives in their backs.[5]
See also
Watermouth Castle, also in North Devon, which is home to Gnome Land, a gnome themed amusement park.
References
- ^ "Bearded wonder". The Daily Telegraph. 2007-03-16. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Gnome sweet gnome: they're back... - House & Home - Property". The Independent. 2008-11-05. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
- ^ a b "The Gnome Reserve & Wild Flower Garden - fun family day out - Attraction Devon". Gnomereserve.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
- ^ "Clear case of gnome-icide! - Top Stories". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2006-09-27. Retrieved 2013-08-25.