Peter Rabbit™ Character Trail and Visitor Displays for Groves Nurseries in Dorset

Groves Nurseries wanted to create a family-friendly trail that encouraged visitors to explore the garden centre while discovering familiar characters, including Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Jeremy Fisher, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and others.

Rather than placing the trail within a single dedicated area, the characters were distributed throughout the site. This allowed the activity to become part of the wider visitor journey, with each display positioned among plants, water features, pathways and retail areas.

The challenge

The character displays needed to feel naturally connected to their surroundings while remaining easy for families to spot. Each location presented different conditions, from dense planting and covered walkways to open customer routes and waterside areas.

The detailed illustrated artwork also required a more considered finish than a standard rectangular sign. The character outlines needed to remain clean and recognisable, while the panels had to provide enough rigidity and presence to work within a busy garden centre.

The trail also needed a clear starting point and a consistent visual language so that visitors understood they were following one connected experience, even when the characters were positioned some distance apart.

The solution

Creative Solutions produced a coordinated collection of bespoke, contour-cut character panels with licensed Beatrix Potter illustrations for placement throughout the Groves site.

Following the outline of each illustration allowed the characters to sit more convincingly within the environment. Without a large rectangular background, the displays appear integrated into planting beds, timber structures and landscaped areas, while still retaining the visibility needed for a visitor trail.

Peter Rabbit provided a prominent starting point, with the wider route featuring Benjamin Bunny, Jeremy Fisher, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and additional characters. Careful placement gave each stop its own setting – including waterside positioning for Jeremy Fisher and planted areas that complemented the artwork's garden themes.

The project used the same principles as bespoke flat-panel signs, but with custom shaping to turn each printed panel into an individual display piece. For visitor attractions and seasonal experiences, this type of work can also be developed through Creative Solutions’ bespoke display service.

Supporting trail signage helped establish the route and communicate the activity to families. The combination of visitor information and character displays created a clear experience without filling the site with excessive instructions.

What we delivered

The Peter Rabbit™ Trail project included:

• A coordinated collection of full-colour character display panels

• Detailed contour cutting around supplied character artwork

• Displays featuring licensed Beatrix Potter illustrations of Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Jeremy Fisher and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and more.

• A clearly identified trail starting point

• Supporting visitor information signage

• Placement across planted, retail and landscaped areas

• Production and installation planning for the Groves Nurseries site

The outcome

The completed trail offers families a simple activity to follow as they explore the wider garden centre. Each character creates a point of discovery, encouraging visitors to explore different departments and outdoor areas rather than remain in one part of the site.

By positioning the displays within relevant surroundings, the trail feels connected to the character artwork and the garden centre environment. The shaped panels keep the illustrations as the visual focus, while the wider route adds interest without disrupting normal customer movement.

For Groves Nurseries, the result is an engaging visitor feature that complements the existing site, supports family visits and creates memorable moments throughout the customer journey.

Services used

Large-format print production, bespoke contour cutting, rigid display panels, visitor trail graphics, flat panel signs, bespoke displays and installation planning.

Planning a Visitor Trail or Family Attraction?

Creative Solutions produces shaped display panels, visitor information signs and bespoke printed graphics for garden centres, heritage sites, leisure venues and family attractions. We can help turn supplied artwork into a practical, site-ready display system that works across indoor and outdoor environments.

Talk to us about your visitor display project