Holiday Garden Gnome

Want to spice up your holiday decorations this year? Creating a holiday garden gnome from a tomato cage is an activity that can include all ages and become a family tradition. All you need is a tomato cage or cages, zip ties or floral stem wire, greenery, a stocking hat and mittens, a nose, and yarn or Spanish moss for a beard.

Folk stories through the centuries say that gnomes are the guardians of homes, gardens, and nature and will keep bad spirits away. They are also good luck charms. The existence of gnomes dates back to Roman and Grecian times. In fact, the word gnome is derived from the Greek word “genomos,” which means earth dweller.

I made the fleece stocking hat and mittens. You can also purchase inexpensive stocking or Santa hats and child-sized mittens from a local discount store.

Turn the tomato cage upside down and tape the three wires together with duct tape.

Cut the greenery into easy-to-handle lengths. I cut mine about 14 to 16 inches long. You can use one type of greenery or a mix to add more interest and texture. I used a combination of Green Giant arborvitae, Eastern red cedar, and plum yew. Make bundles of the greenery and use zip-ties or floral stem wire to attach them to the circular wires on the tomato cage. Floral stem wire was easier for me to use.

Begin by attaching the bundles around the lowest ring of the tomato cage, then continue covering the upper rings, ensuring the foliage drapes over the cut stems below. Completely cover the cage, creating the gnome’s body.

For the nose, I used a potato. You could also use a Christmas ball ornament or a stocking stuffed with cotton to create a nose. Run a wire through the potato and attach it to the cage frame. I used a package of Spanish moss I purchased from