Royal Botanic Gardens are all light on the night

Christmas at the Botanics opens today at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, unveiling a series of spectacular light installations inspired by the magic of Christmas.

This year’s event is bigger and brighter than before, with over one million twinkling lights, offering a unique experience for visitors. A one-mile trail weaves through the Botanics, using the Garden’s natural landscape and historic buildings as a backdrop for awe-inspiring visual effects.

Visitors can walk through a Cathedral of Light, an immersive installation comprising of more than 100,000 pea lights. Never seen in Scotland before, it will run for 70 metres alongside the Garden’s famous Beech Hedge.

Other highlights include a mesmerising Fire Garden, a light show at the iconic Victorian Palm House and a Festival Finale on Inverleith House Lawn.

The Royal Botanic Gardens are lit up for Christmas (Photo: Wullie Marr Photography)

For children there is a Santa show on the route as well as festive food and drink for visitors to enjoy as they walk through the Garden after dark.

This year, the event is also providing the Botanics with an opportunity to highlight its important work in more than 50 countries worldwide as part of the International Conifer Conservation Programme.

Regius keeper Simon Milne says: ‘At a time when the only conifers we may be thinking about are Christmas trees, it is worth knowing that of the world’s 615 species, one third are listed as threatened.

‘By coming to our event, visitors are helping us enormously to fund plant research, conservation and our work with communities. Our profits from the trail go to help finance our important work in Scotland and around the world.’

Christmas at the Botanics is delivered in association with events promoter Raymond Gubbay, which is responsible for several successful light shows throughout the UK, including Kew Gardens, London and Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

Chief development officer Jonathan Marks said: ‘We are thrilled to be back in Edinburgh for the second time, delivering another Christmas at the Botanics in partnership with project and production management company, Culture Creative.

‘There’s nothing more magical at Christmas than an immersive trail of dazzling light displays. Each installation has a unique theme, some tranquil and some more stimulating, to take you on a unique journey through the garden.’

Christmas at the Botanics runs for 30 nights on selected evenings from 23 November to 29 December. Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to ensure their desired time slot and secure the best ticket price.

Tickets start from £14 per adult and £8 for children.

For events information and ticket bookings, visit www.rbge.org.uk.