A giant otter is installed at the lakeside of RHS Rosemoor, one of 10 intricate brick sculptures built especially for the gardens for the summer holidays Brick Explorers trail, running 18 July – 30 August. Other over-sized creatures made from bricks in the trail include a hairy footed flower bee, a violet oil beetle and a hedgehog, plus there is a life-sized peregrine falcon and greater spotted woodpecker to admire.
The otter took two people from Iconic Bricks 240 hours to create using 45,560 custom bricks – its placement reflects the presence of real otters who frequently feed in the lake when the banks of the Torridge River overflow after heavy rain.
The Torridge River which flows alongside the gardens was the inspiration for the children’ classic ‘Tarka the Otter’ written in 1927 by Henry Williamson. This popular book has also inspired a brand-new family trail of hand carved wooden animal sculptures, created by local chainsaw artist Brenan Knott, in Great Torrington which has launched in May 2026.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor/whats-on/summer-holidays
