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Latest Stories by Mark Furr

The Garden Hermit by Odd Feed

The Garden Hermit: The Living, Breathing Garden Gnome of the 18th Century

While cute garden gnomes are common in modern gardens, in the grand estate gardens of 18th-century England, one might have met their melancholy ancestor: the ornamental hermit, an actual human being hired to live a life of seclusion and contemplation, for the sake of being a picturesque addition to the landscape of the wealthy.