Meet the Trentlings

Sometimes the best projects start with a simple conversation.

Earlier this year, we were approached by Grace from the fantastic Green Spaces team at East Staffordshire Borough Council with an idea. Could we create a series of fun creatures inspired by the plants, flowers and wildlife found in Burton's parks and gardens?

We jumped at the chance!

Meet Mariglo, Daisy, Glaucua, Geranafin, Heuchera and Calendula.

The original plan was to create six Trentlings, quirky characters that would be installed in some of Burton's beautiful green spaces. Designed and painted in our studio, each one takes inspiration from a plant found in the town's gardens and planting schemes.

As the project developed, something exciting happened.

Tracey Parr, Place Making extraordinaire for ESBC, saw the potential for the Trentlings to become something more than a collection of garden characters. Together, we started exploring how the project could celebrate not just Burton's plants and green spaces, but the stories, industries and heritage that make the town unique.

The Trentling family began to grow.

Alongside the original plant inspired gang, new characters started appearing that take their inspiration from Burton's rich history and local identity. Some celebrate the town's famous industries, others draw on landmarks, traditions and the things that make Burton, Burton.

The original six Trentlings are now complete and ready for installation. Created from marine plywood and brought to life through their hand painted designs, they'll soon be taking up residence in gardens across the town.

They've been handed over ready for installation and can't wait to see them in their new homes.

And that's only the beginning.

Six more Trentlings are already in development, with plans for these mischievous characters to pop up in all sorts of ways across Burton this summer.

We're keeping a few surprises under wraps for now, but keep your eyes peeled. You may be seeing a lot more of the Trentlings in the months ahead.

For now, we're delighted to finally be able to share some behind the scenes photos and videos from the studio. From sketches and design work through to painting and finishing touches, it's been a joy to watch this project grow from a simple idea into something much bigger.

We'll share photos of the Trentlings in situ as soon as they're installed.

Until then, we'd love to know, which Trentling is your favourite so far?