Pink plastic flamingos are one of the most famous of lawn ornaments, along with garden gnomes and other such ornamentation. The pink flamingo has become an icon of pop culture, as well as a statement. It has even spawned a lawn greeting industry where flocks of pink flamingos are installed on a victim's lawn in the dark of night. Plastic flamingos are widely considered to be the stereotypical example of lawn kitsch.

Garden Gnomes

The first garden gnomes were made in the town of Gräfenroda in Thuringia, Germany in the mid-1800s by Phillip Griebel. Griebel made terracotta animals as decorations and created the gnome based on local myths as a way for people to enjoy the stories of the gnomes' willingness to help in the garden at night. The garden gnome quickly spread across Germany and into France and England, and wherever gardening was a serious hobby. Gnome manufacture spread across Germany with numerous other large and small manufacturers coming into and out of the business, each one having its own particular style of design. World War II was hard on the industry and most producers gave up then. Griebel's descendants still make them and are the last of the German producers, all others having moved production to Poland or China.

Traditional gnomes are made from a terracotta clay slurry poured into molds. The gnome is removed from the mold, allowed to dry, and then fired in a kiln until it is hard. Once cooled the gnome is painted to the level of detail desired and sent off to do work in someone's garden. More modern gnomes are made from resins and similar materials.

The first garden gnomes were introduced to the United Kingdom in 1847 by Sir Charles Isham, when he brought 21 terracotta figures back from a trip to Germany and placed them as ornaments in the gardens of his home, Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy, as he is known, fully washes himself every Tuesday, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds.

Garden gnomes have become a popular accessory in many gardens, although they are not loved by all. They are often the target of pranks: people have been known to return garden gnomes "to the wild", most notably France's "Front de Liberation des Nains de Jardins" and Italy's "MALAG" (Garden Gnome Liberation Front). Some kidnapped garden gnomes have been sent on trips around the world (the travelling gnome prank; this later became the basis for Travelocity's "Roaming Gnome").

Due to the recent rise of pranks against gnomes, a website called Gnomes Without Homes was created as an international data base of missing gnomes. The site allows people looking for wayward gnomes to post photos and information that might lead to their return. In addition, GnomesWithoutHomes.com allows gnome-gnappers to post travel photos and information on gnomes that have been abducted.

Gnomes have become controversial in serious gardening circles in the UK, and are banned from the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show as the organisers claim that they detract from the garden designs. Gnome enthusiasts accuse the organisers of snobbery because they are popular in working class and suburban gardens.

A sub-culture exists among those who collect garden gnomes, which is frequently lampooned in popular culture.

Garden gnomes were made in various poses and pursuing various pastimes, such as fishing or gardening.

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