Rose Wonders
Rose Wonders is Filoli's brand new troll created by artist Thomas Dambo. Thanks to the generosity of more than 600 donors, Rose Wonders now has a permanent home in the Filoli Redwoods.
Built from reclaimed materials, Rose will delight visitors of all ages and inspire them to explore themes such as recycling and reusing trash, the importance of plants and gardens, art, personal reflection, and more!
More than 75% of the funds to support Rose Wonders at Filoli have already been raised. Now, we’re asking for your help to cross the finish line.
For more ways to give, please visit filoli.org/ways-to-give or email development@filoli.org.
Who Is Rose Wonders?
Meet Rose Wonders, a 27-foot gentle giant who has finally found her home among Filoli’s towering Redwoods. Carried forward by community support, Rose was born at Burning Man and crafted from reclaimed materials—a true embodiment of creativity, resilience, and humanity.
Rose arrives at Filoli following her sense of quiet curiosity, leaning into the landscape as if listening to the whispers of the redwoods themselves. Her wide-eyed wonder becomes an extension of Filoli’s own storytelling, inviting visitors of all ages to discover, explore, imagine, and connect with the natural world and all of its beauty.
As a bridge between nature and humanity, guests can climb through her cascading hair and stand in her hand for a face-to-face moment—inviting them to reflect on connection, empathy, and what it means to be human.
A Poem by Rose Wonders
I wonder if it sleeps at night or if it’s scared of thunder.
I wonder if it dares to dream, I wonder if it wonders.
I wonder if it loves and if it feels regret and shame.
And if it does, I wonder if to me that feels the same.
I wonder if it understands and speaks at ease with trees.
I wonder if it hums the melodies of bumble bees.
I wonder if it knows the ground we stand upon is round.
And wonder if it knows a shooting star won’t make a sound.
I wonder if it understands, the world is a connection.
And everything we do comes back again as a reflection.
I wonder if it speaks, I wonder what it wants to say.
And wonder if it understands tomorrow is today.
Fun Facts About Rose!
She lives within the Filoli Redwoods along the California Trail, next to Thistlewyck Village and the Nature Playspace. Plan on a 10-20 minute walk on an unpaved, stroller-friendly trail to see her.
Rose Wonders is now part of Filoli permanently
She is the largest troll Thomas Dambo has ever created
Her arrival continues Filoli’s storytelling — inviting visitors of all ages to explore, imagine, and connect with the natural world
Visitors can meet Rose Wonders as part of Thistlewyck and Holidays at Filoli, included with daytime admission
A big thank you to the donors whose support made her installation possible!
About Thomas Dambo
Born in Odense, Denmark in 1979, Thomas Dambo creates art that inspires people to explore, have adventures in nature, and show that recycled goods can be turned into something beautiful. After graduating from the Kolding Design School in Kolding, Denmark, with a master’s degree in interactive design, Thomas began his journey of using recycled materials to create colorful art installations, building the foundation for his artwork today. He currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark. Thomas is best known for his colossal trolls that ‘live’ as permanent or semi-permanent installations in parks, greenspaces, industrial parks, and other site-specific locations around the world. Each folklore-inspired sculpture is imbued with expression and character and is built entirely from reclaimed materials. To view all 172 of Thomas's trolls and their locations, visit trollmap.com.