Meet The Gentle Giants That Have Taken Over This Southern California Botanic Garden

I love botanical gardens, and we have plenty of them here in Southern California where you can surround yourself with natural beauty and color all year long. Several of these gardens feature awesome events, shows, and exhibits throughout the year and, in fact, one of our beautiful gardens - South Coast Botanical Garden - has been taken over by a very special installation of giant sculptures in Palos Verdes, CA. You are going to want to see this.

There is always something new at the gorgeous 87-acre South Coast Botanic Garden and now through January 14, 2024, this is the site of the West Coast premiere of Thomas Dambo TROLLS: Save The Humans.

Thomas Dambo has become an internationally renowned artist known for his works using reclaimed and recycled materials, including these six larger-than-life trolls.

These gentle giants are here for more than just hanging out in the Garden. They come with a message and a mission to help humans reconnect with nature.

Each of the six giant trolls has a special name, a unique personality, and specific lesson to teach us humans. For example, Kamma Can, the Trash Troll, is creative and takes after her sculptor and creates beautiful things out of reclaimed and unexpected objects, especially plastic. In fact, she wears a necklace made out of plastic items.

The trolls serve as inspiration for a variety of classes that are being conducted at the gardens, including meditation, sustainable jewelry making, crafting birdfeeders, nature journaling, fresh flower crafts, etc.

The Thomas Dambo TROLLS: Save The Humans exhibit is free with General Admission to the Garden (which is free to Members). There is a separate fee for TROLLS-themed classes.

After hanging out with the trolls (or for a little refreshing break between visits), be sure to stop by Dottie’s, the garden’s own concessions stand with a fresh botanical-inspired menu of food and beverages, including fun cocktails and delicious lattes.

Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS will only be here in Palos Verdes for a limited time. Will you go see the giant sculptures before they leave? You can learn more about the exhibit, get admission prices, etc. on the South Coast Botanic Garden website. Keep up to date with this and other events by following South Coast Botanic Garden on Facebook.

For more inspiration, check out other happenings and events in Southern California.