Young Italian designer Giovanni Tomasini is pleased to present his latest project, the "Mino" garden gnome, a traditional lawn ornament made of compost:The garden dwarf tradition is older than what is commonly believed. Originating in XVII century Germany, garden dwarfs were exported by an English nobleman to decorate his garden, and they have now become the globally widespread kitsch ornaments that we all know. Despite its jazzy colours, the modern dwarf is a melancholic figure, condemned to a purely decorative function within a domesticated and artificial environment. Mino, on the other hand, lives in a garden full of life, destined to survive for one season only to then die with pride by feeding the surrounding vegetation.

The designer notes on Inhabitat that he's currently seeking a company to invest in his design...