Giant Dandelions Walk into a Fantasy World of Metal Sculpture

Based in the U.K., Robin Wight is mostly known for his wire fairy sculptures. Some of these enchanting artworks feature fairies gripping onto dandelion stems and swinging in the wind. However, the enlarged flower by itself makes for a perhaps even more iconic metal fantasy sculpture. His work is seen all over the world and in large concentration at Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire, England. Here, 12 breath-taking Giant Dandelions of slightly different shapes attract visitors.

“I believe that good art as well as good products flow from good design.”

An interesting aspect of this unique design, is that each Giant Dandelion is slightly different and can be executed in various sizes. There are 6-foot and 9-foot versions, in addition to the enormous 18-foot flowers at Trentham Gardens. The stems can be made from either brass or stainless steel, the leaves (or seeds) from brass or copper. When making arrangements of multiple flowers, the artist considers how they complement each other and hammers out the smaller pieces by hand. In a cluster of 3 sculptures for example, there will be one full seed head, one with a few seeds flying away, and one with half already swept off.

The breeze sweeping away the seeds reminds us of childhood, when we blew on these dried flowers and made a wish. This whimsical feeling is emphasized by the enormous size of the dandelions and their wavy stems. People feel a joyful sense of awe when walking amongst the larger-than-life floral pillars. Overall, the feeling that you are walking through a magic world is nearly unavoidable. Wight’s daughter Amy is co-creator of these sculptures, she states:

“It’s really hard to appreciate the full scale of the dandelions until you’re up close. The stems are huge poles and I was able to climb right inside the head of one when we were assembling them.”

To appreciate the beauty of art in public places, people must travel to see it, they know that pictures do not do it justice. Installing Giant Dandelions in a park is a surefire way to make it a more desirable place to visit. With such extraordinary, evocative artwork, each viewing will be its own distinct memorable experience, whether at night, raining, snowing, or enshrouded in a mysterious mist.