The COVID-19 pandemic has been ongoing for about a year now, which means many of us have had plenty of time do various DIY projects around our homes, including fixing up our gardens.
If you’re thinking of adding some decor to your garden such as the classic garden gnome, you might be surprised to learn that the UK is currently experiencing a shortage of garden gnomes!
As the United Press International has shared, the shortage is due to a production hiccup caused by the cargo ship that created a massive blockage in the Suez Canal.
Because of this, there was a reduced availability of raw materials. Adding to the shortage is the fact that garden gnomes are quite popular as decorations, therefore, the supplies of the garden decorations are quickly decreasing.
This shortage is seen across the board of gnomes, it has affected plastic ones, stone gnomes, and concrete ones too. The assistant manager of Highfield Garden World in Whitminster, Gloucestershire, Ian Byrne, shared with The Guardian that the store hasn’t gotten a new gnome delivery in about six months.
The manager stated, “There aren’t any [gnomes]. There’s definitely a shortage. It’s a combined thing with garden centers being so busy. I looked at some figures based on March which said garden centers were 97 percent busier than they were in 2019. Every day has been like a bank holiday. That’s good but it’s definitely causing some issues because it’s not just English garden centers that are booming, it’s all across Europe, so it’s causing issues with supply.”
But garden gnomes aren’t the only outdoor items that are experiencing a shortage. Apparently, garden furniture is becoming more scarce as well, which has prompted suppliers to try and look for other sources within Europe and China. But for places like the US, garden gnomes still are plentiful thanks to sites such as Amazon.
Who knew that garden gnomes would be hard to find? Does this news surprise you? Let us know!