The gnoment you’ve been waiting for

For centuries, garden gnomes—the bearded lawn ornaments with round bellies and pointed, red hats—have decorated people’s front yards around the world. Now they’re the centerpiece of our latest interactive Google Doodle.

The garden gnome, or gartenzwerge, which was made popular in 19th-century Germany, is said to protect people’s gardens, keep hidden treasures safe and bring good luck. Today, try your luck with these tiny statues and see what good fortunes they bring to your virtual garden. The farther your gnome travels after it launches from the catapult (or trebuchet to be exact), the more flowers you plant—and the more points you earn. Once you learn the basics with a classic gnome statue, you can choose from six colorful gnomes all with different shapes, sizes and bounciness.

You’ll learn a few gnome facts along the way too—like how they are made and where in the world they first appeared.

Ready, set, gnome!