Gnomes are traditionally thought of as being small, bearded and wearing pointed, colourful, conical hats. In real life they tend to be accountants or ticket collectors. Garden gnomes live in gardens as they often aren’t allowed in peoples homes due to the level of flatulence they generate. They can stand very still for long periods of time often fooling the general public into thinking they are not real. World wars, Vietnam and Afghanistan have been very hard on the Gnome population, who often go on dangerous covert tunneling missions - never to return to their garden sanctuaries. By a guest curator, Simon Raybould.