Across a frozen lake, lights dance to the sound of popular Christmas carols.
ADVERTISEMENTAcross a frozen lake, lights dance to the sound of popular Christmas carols.
This is the scene that welcome visitors toThe Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in London. The world famous gardens have been transformed into an enchanted forest of more than 60,000 lights.
This winter trail for Christmas is inspired by the Gardens themselves, as the trees, temples and glasshouses of Kew are playfully lit and all aglow.
The trail – just over 1.5 kilometres – leads visitors past two huge Christmas trees, a scented garden and all kinds of nature-inspired lights.
“The original idea was to do something festive at Christmas that really brought the gardens to life at a time when people wouldn’t normally visit.
‘We’re usually closed in the evenings particularly in winter and so that was the idea behind it and just to allow people to come and enjoy the gardens in the run up to Christmas with some festive spirit, but really to showcase how beautiful the gardens are in the dark,” explained Sandra Botterell, Marketing Director, Kew Gardens.
One installation is called Bloom by the international artists collective Squidsoup.
It consists of 1,000 individual spheres of light, each also emanating sound.
“The trees are illuminated, you go past some really special and ancient trees. We have trees here that are four or five hundred years old so there’s the stories of the trees as well,” added Sandra Botterell.
Stunning light & fountain display on glass house
kewgardens</a> part of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChristmasAtKew?src=hash">#ChristmasAtKew</a> 60,000 lights inc 1 mile trail <a href="https://t.co/q1QlxyAPIi">pic.twitter.com/q1QlxyAPIi</a></p>— Laura Tobin (Lauratobin1) December 12, 2016
One of the most popular attractions is the LED light tunnel which ripples with different colours. It has proved a hit with all ages and the perfect place to pose for those Christmas selfies.
For those in search of romance there is an isolated spot where a heart spins quietly twinkling like a disco ball from a fairytale night club.
The gardens remain open until ten o’clock at night and the Christmas Trail will continue until just after the New Year.
