Yes, I have them.

Gnomes, that is.  I know many people, not only gardeners have opinions on them.  Some think they are tacky, old fashioned, weird, etc.  Others find them fun to steal and take pictures of while traveling the world.  But, we have them, yes "them" in our garden.  My first memories of garden gnomes are as a child.  I remember seeing them in my grandparents and great aunt and uncles yards.  They were tucked away and as you wandered the yard you might spot one peeking out from under a branch of a shrub or behind a flower.  My daughter has chosen several of them as gifts for me and loves to rearrange them throughout the yard.  Sometimes when she's gone I move them to see how long it takes her to notice.

My husband, while on a business trip in Germany, brought a couple back.  A friend of his showing him the best place to buy the "real gnomes".  

This time of year, the garden is pretty empty.  My gnomes and other decor really stand out now.  This is when I think, "wow, is there too much?"  But then I look around and remember exactly who gave it to me or why I bought it.

The angel above the pond was one of the first gifts my husband ever gave to me.  It was in the garden that he proposed to me in and now the chickadees love to bathe in the shell.  There is the cement cat that reminds me of one of my former pets, or the little girl with the watering can that makes me think of my girls playing in the flowers.  

So yes, some may think they are tacky, but like most everything else in my garden they remind me of special people and times in my life that are more important than magazine picture perfect gardens.