Christmas at the Botanics 2023 will celebrate beauty of gardens, says creator boss Zoe Bottrell
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In an exclusive interview – watch the video above or click here – the Managing Director of Culture Creative revealed how the re-imagined trail is set to sparkle as the biggest and the best yet when it returns for a seventh year, selected nights from November 16 to December 30, writes Graham Walker.
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New and spectacular botanical-themed installations, by artists local to Edinburgh and from around the world, are set to transform the Garden into a spectacular mile-long after-dark winter wonderland.
Zoe told how Light a Wish, created by the OGE Group, will depict the moment dandelion seeds disperse in the air, taking wishes with them into the world.
A meadow of 100 crocuses, standing over a metre high, will gently sway and transform through different shades of colour in time to enchanting music, created by leading designers of illuminated flowers, Jigantics.
Six huge Dragonflies, created by Edinburgh studio based artist Martha Ellis, will be another showstopper as they appear to defy gravity, suspended over the serene Botanic Pond.
Visitors will also see groves of luminous Pampas Grass, animated with bright colours, created by TILT, a French artistic studio. And Fire Dancers will be part of a Fire Garden created by artist Maria Hingerty,
Popular returning favourites include the spectacular Christmas Cathedral and the Inverleith House projection.
All the new and returning installations are low in energy and have been selected to complement the Botanics’ environment.
Zoe, chatting to Graham Walker, said: “This is such a wonderful garden and we’re helping the venue to tell their story - of their seeds and the work that they do, in a really beautiful, botanic and illuminated way.
"What's so fantastic is that some of the tickets money will go towards assisting the great work the Botanics do to help the garden to flourish into the future.
"Once again, we have lots of installations by international artists.
"We have Tilt, coming from France, bringing some beautiful installations of Pampas Grass, which change colour and very lightly move in the wind.
"But also the wind will take the Light A Wish seeds, that are coming from Amsterdam. As they floated above your head, albeit they're two metres tall and two metres wide, they will magically just seem to appear and you won't see how they're going to do that.
"Also flying through the gardens will be the Dragonflies which are over the pond.
"The installations will help to showcase the beautiful, botanical parts of this garden and all the work they do at the Botanics.
"But then we've got some fun.
"We've got a Button Show, that's going through the cops of trees at the end, and Santa will wave you goodbye but only after you've been past Inverleith House, with a brand new projection that will cover the frontage with images celebrating all of the fun aspects of Christmas.
"There's going to be a Crocus Garden, with 100 illuminated crocuses that change colour subtly as you walk through them, almost like an overgrown field - they stand two to three metres tall beside you.
"Family favourites are back, including our Fire Garden, in a brand new location this year. Visitors will also be able to get a selfie taken in the Christmas Cathedral. So lots for people to enjoy, celebrating the fun of Christmas and the beauty of the Botanics.
"We have tickets that start from 5pm to 8pm. And some of those have off peak ticket prices, whilst others that have busy periods will have a peak price. You can choose when you wish to come.”
Christmas at the Botanics, presented in partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and creative producer Culture Creative, is one of nine illuminated trails staged across the UK by leading events promoter Raymond Gubbay Limited, a division of Sony Music.
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