The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh sparkles like never before as Christmas at the Botanics kicks off the festive season in style. Visitors are invited to witness the Garden transformed by new installations and enchanting illuminations, bringing the beauty of plants to life.
Running for 35 nights on selected evenings from 21 November to 30 December, the trail has been designed and assembled to complement the Botanics’ existing landscape, with nearly 95% of the lights on the trail being LED.
With the return of Christmas classics, visitors can look forward to a stroll through the mesmerising Christmas Cathedral, the backdrop for many happy memories, and look out for Santa along the way.
With 80% of the trail revised for a fresh perspective of the Garden, new installations for 2024 include:
- Sea of Light (Root Network): A large-scale installation covering the ground with thousands of individually controlled LED lights, reminiscent of the roots of trees and plants that twist and turn under the ground.
- Robins: A sparkling flock of red, gold, bronze and orange robins evoke festive cheer as their sequined feathers shimmer in the breeze.
- Pealit Tree: Thousands of tiny bright LED lights illuminate the Turner oak, Quercus turneri Pseudoturneri, one of the Garden’s mightiest trees and a country champion in Scotland for its remarkable girth.
- Firework Trees: Vibrant bursts of light shoot through the tree branches, bringing the air to colourful life and all set to an atmospheric winter soundtrack.
The magical after-dark trail is not only an unmissable winter activity for families and friends but also allows visitors to support the Garden’s wider work to tackle the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency.
Ticket sales help fund the Botanics’ international plant research, conservation work and education programmes, strengthening its commitment to building a positive future for plants, people and the planet.
Sarah Cathcart, Director of Learning and Engagement at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, says: “It’s my first Christmas at the Botanics as Director of Learning and Engagement, and I’m excited to share the experience with the public to bring to light the amazing stories about the Garden’s diverse collection of plants.
“The trail offers a unique opportunity for visitors to connect with the important conservation work we do year-round. Each installation depicts a story about the inspiration taken from the natural world, encouraging visitors of all ages to think more deeply about protecting our planet.”
As many prepare for rising festive costs, the event offers an off-peak ticket as well as reduced-priced family tickets, making this the most affordable, accessible and inclusive trail yet.
Tickets for this year’s show are on sale now with visitors encouraged to book in advance to guarantee their preferred timeslot.
For further ticket information, pricing, and timings, please click here.
Christmas at the Botanics is one of 14 illuminated trails staged across the UK by leading events promoter RG Live, a division of Sony Music. Christmas at the Botanics is presented in partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and creative producer Culture Creative.
For more details visit www.rbge.org.uk/christmas and follow @mychristmastrails on Facebook and Instagram.
