Now it’s fashionable to decorate summer cottages with various figures. For example, the garden gnome looks very attractive in the thickets of plants, in the flower garden, next to the benches. It will not only complement landscape design, but also create positive energy. The sculpture can be bought or made by yourself. 
Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDJ08O7Ux1c
Decorative gnomes in landscape design
Such decorations for the site look appropriate next to flower beds, wooden benches, stone paths, wicker fences. The most important thing is that the gnome for the garden fits into the surrounding style:
- classic design - figures in one or more colors;
- romantic - pink or burgundy;
- country, provence - wooden;
- Art Nouveau - metal, marble, concrete, wood.
If you install figures that are inappropriate in style, in the wrong place, they ruin the whole look.
When designing landscaping, you need to consider that gnomes must be made of the same material as the objects next to which they are located. Especially attractive are the sculptures in the recreation area, next to the pond, fountain.
Gnomes from plaster
Garden gnomes made of gypsum tolerate frost, rainfall, and sun rays. However, they are very fragile. So that the gnomes do not fall and do not crash, they must be installed away from people, protected from the wind.
Plaster sculptures can be made with your own hands. For this we need:
- gypsum;
- glue;
- waterproof paints and brushes;
- varnish;
- molds for plaster or rubber for baking.
Step-by-step process:
- Dilute the gypsum according to the instructions indicated on the package.
- Mix thoroughly, mix glue for elasticity (the component should occupy 1% of the total solution volume).
- When the figure is more than 0.5 m, a frame of reinforced pipes and a protrusion for fixing to the surface are required.
- First, pour the solution into the mold halfway, wait until it sets. To prevent bubbles, knock.
- Pour the second part. Level, knock and leave to dry (preferably in the sun in the open air).
- Remove from the mold, decorate with paints, varnish on top.
For the decoration you can use various improvised materials: broken glass, etc.
Papier-mâché garden figures
Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYDBuuiWG6QHow to make a gnome from papier-mâché in stages:
- Put the material (egg cages) in a container, pour boiling water to the edges and do not touch for 24 hours.
- Drain, grind to a dough consistency. If the material is too liquid, it must be placed in a gauze cloth and suspended for several hours to drain the remaining liquid.
- Add some PVA glue to give ductility.
To make the body, take a plastic bottle filled with sand, and for the head a ball. Stick to the structure with the prepared mass, applying not thick layers, drying each.
- Fasten with wire or glue.
- Make the front part and the beard. For the eyes, you can use a tennis ball cut into 2 parts or beads.
- Make a hat.
- Having retreated from the bottom 1/3, make the hem of the shirt. It is desirable that it be wavy for greater effect.
- Through the remaining lower part, draw a vertical furrow. It will be pants.
- Hands can be made immediately on the figure or separately, only at the end attached to the body. To create palms, use rubber gloves: pour foam into them and wait for them to freeze.
- The sole of the shoes should be made of polystyrene foam, and the shoes of the main material.
- Dry the finished figure and sand it with sandpaper.
- Cover precipitation with a moisture-resistant primer, putty and primer again.
- Colorize the figure, cover with yacht varnish.
For greater attractiveness, a solar-powered flashlight can be placed in the gnome's hand. In addition, it will be an additional source of lighting.
Gnomes from the fabric
It is not difficult to make a gnome from a fabric if there is at least a little experience in sewing. 
Source: www.liveinternet.ru
Step-by-step instruction:
- Find a suitable pattern.
- Transfer it to a cardboard or a fabric piece (for the head and palms - flesh-colored, for the torso with a shirt - printed colorful chintz, for pants - striped cloth or plain, for a vest - fur or wool).
- Cut parts, leaving allowances of 0.5 cm for seams.
- Sew the back along the line previously indicated by crosses.
- Sew the grooves of the front and connect it to the back.
- inside out and stuff with padding polyester.
- Cut and sew pants, put on top.
- Make a belt out of tape or ribbon.
- Connect palms with sleeves, fill with padding polyester and sew to the body.
- Sew leather or leatherette boots. Insert cardboard insoles for stability.
- Stuff the shoes loosely with a synthetic winterizer, put them on your feet, sew them unnoticed with threads to the tone of the fabric.
- Cut the head out of pink material, fill with filler.
- For the nose, cut a circle, fill it with a padding polyester, make a ball.
- Draw a mouth or eyes with felt-tip pens or embroider.
- Sew on a hat (for example, a cap made of chintz stuffed with filler). Decorate it with a pompom or bells, embroider.
- Connect the head to the body.
- Sew a vest and put on top.
Decorating the territory with a rag gnome, you need to consider that when it rains, it will need to be brought into the house or covered. The fabric quickly burns out in the sun, so it is better to place the figure in the shade or expose it only for the holidays (for example, Halloween or Christmas).
Gnomes made of wood, metal, stone
It is not possible to make figures from these materials on your own without certain skills and a special tool. However, wooden, metal, stone gnomes can always be bought in a store or made to order. Such sculptures will be an excellent decoration of the site. They look very presentable and expensive. In addition, gnomes made of wood, stone and metal are durable.
Fairytale houses for gnomes and other fairytale heroes
Cool fabulous houses can be made from any means at hand, the main thing is to include imagination. For instance:
- The facade should be made of drywall sheets by gluing them with building glue. For reliability, you can hammer with nails or use staples for furniture. Drywall sheets are covered with cement or clay. Decorate with chopped bricks, small stones, ceramics from above.
- The roof is made of cardboard, bent in half. Cover it with a solution of concrete, not forgetting to create the effect of tiles.
- Doors and windows make cardboard openable.
- Decorate the house with a bell on the door, various figures, miniature flower pots.
The dwelling of a gnome and other cartoon characters will look harmoniously next to a flower garden, a thick trunk of an old tree, ponds, surrounded by flowerpots with weaving plants, etc. 
Source: 7dach.ru
It’s not difficult to make garden gnomes and a house for them with your own hands, the main thing is to include imagination and allocate time for manufacturing. The figure, made independently, will give the site exclusivity. You can be sure that no one else will have such a thing. The most important thing is to correctly place decorative sculptures on the territory, so that they harmoniously fit into the landscape and do not seem inappropriate. Sometimes you do not need to focus on them, it is better to put aside or in the bushes.
