Gnome Elwood is seen next to the future home of “Baby Gnome” at Reiman Gardens in Ames. The new gnome will be unveiled in a ceremony Thursday at Reiman Gardens.
Submitted photo
Iowa State University’s Reiman Gardens is welcoming a new addition this summer: a 4-foot-tall concrete “Baby Gnome.”
The smaller gnome will join the 17-acre public garden’s original gnome, Elwood, known as “The World’s Largest Concrete Gnome.”
“This new addition is going to be a lot of fun for our visitors,” Reiman Gardens Director Christine Prescott said in a news release. “Elwood has become such an iconic figure here, and we can’t wait for guests to meet the newest member of the gnome family.”
The new gnome will be unveiled in a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the garden in Ames.
If You Go
What: Reiman Gardens
Where: 1407 University Blvd., Ames
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Open until 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sept. 30.
Cost: $12 general admission; purchase in advance online or in person
More information: Go to reimangardens.com
“The arrival of Baby Gnome perfectly captures the spirit of our ‘Big and Small’ theme” for 2026, said Andrew Gogerty, marketing and communications manager at Reiman Gardens. “Visitors have loved Elwood for years, and we’re excited to give them another memorable reason to visit, laugh, and create new family memories.”
To celebrate the new arrival, Reiman Gardens is hosting a “Gname the Gnome Contest” this month. Guests can submit name ideas beginning Friday, July 10, through an online form or a submission box near the garden center’s front desk. Submissions will be accepted through July 31, 2026. Staff members will select the winning name.
Baby Gnome will be on display daily during regular admission hours. For tickets, memberships and event details, visit the Reiman Gardens website.
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