Lucy Reflects

Lancaster’s Gnome Countryside and the Man Behind its Magic

“Love each tiny leaf, each beam of sunshine, love the animals, love every plant. If we love all things, we will also attain the divine mystery that is in all things. For then our ability to perceive the truth will grow every day, and our minds will open to all embracing love.” -Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Tucked deep in the countryside of Southern Lancaster County is a curious little plot of land that invites visitors to expand their imagination and embrace the beautiful sites of Mother Nature. Gnome Countryside is a pristine piece of whimsical woods in Kirkwood that is said to inhabit gnomes, and whether you believe it to be true or not, you’ll leave feeling more magical, imaginative, and have a newfound respect for Mother Nature.

Owner, Mr. Rich Humphreys, an educator, storyteller and ‘gnaturalist,” opened Gnome Countryside in 1980 after suffering complications from type one diabetes, forcing him to leave his teaching job. And at age 76, he’s still strong and healthy and leading tours on an almost daily basis.

“There’s one thing for sure,” he tells me. “And that is I love my job. I’ve been on a lot of adventures in my life, and this one I really love.”

Mr. Rich welcomes the group dressed as a woodland creature and begins the tour with a call on a conch shell. The group is lead into a small cottage, where Mr. Rich tells stories of the gnomes, sings songs, and teaches valuable life lessons along the way. His soft voice and ability to tell captivating stories will have even skeptics believe these Lilliputians are walking among us. Perhaps the just stay out of sight as they create little villages, and leave behind signs of proof they exist, like tiny swing sets, little doors into tree trunks and miniature thrones.

Lush plants like Christmas ferns, lady slippers, and bleeding hearts wind along the trail, with a small stream, lined with rocks covered in bright fluffy moss that create waterfalls. Little bridges cross the stream and there’s a playground stop during the tour, where visitors can stack rocks, walk a rope bridge, build houses for gnomes and more. Stoic trees of all varieties stand tall and under their roots, are the homes of the gnomes. Along the path are “talking rocks” with words like “imagine,” “respect,” and “dream,” where Mr. Rich challenges each guest to celebrate these feelings to the fullest.

Gnome Countryside is nothing short of magical. The amount of time and effort Mr. Rich puts into creating this natural masterpiece is impressive, to say the least. He credits his late mother for his love of nature, who always took him on walks in the woods, opening his imagination to nature and teaching visitors how to do the same. Mr. Rich has a simple singalong that he performs with his guests: “Have fun, be true to you and be kindly.” And if you ask me, that’s all we all really need.

Check out www.gnomecountryside.org to book a tour or visit them on June 2 at 2 p.m. for Games Day, where guests bring a covered dish and can explore the grounds, enjoy a potluck dinner and more with no admission fee.



We’d like to hear from you, have you visited Gnome Countryside? Do you believe in gnomes?