Christmas 2023: The UK’s original festive light trail returns to Kew Gardens in London

The world-famous botanic gardens in London - Kew Gardens - is relaunching "the UK's original feature light trail" this Christmas by showcasing seasonal favourites alongside eight never-before-seen immersive installations, and for the first time, featuring with Brand Partner John Lewis.

New displays include 3m high illuminated flowers, cascading lights suspended from the tree canopy and one of the longest light tunnels to ever feature at Christmas at Kew (15 November 2023 – 7 January 2024.)

Palm House light show at the 10th Christmas at Kew
(c) Raymond Gubbay Ltd, Richard Haughton

Highlights include the iconic Palm House light show where visitors can enjoy a series of light displays -  LED lights ‘float’ and dance on the surface of the adjacent lake.

Since the inaugural Christmas at Kew trail in 2013, this festive event has enchanted visitors with a unique seasonal experience.  This year’s trail is a celebration of nature by night, bringing Kew’s incredible natural architecture to life. 

This Christmas, Kew is asking visitors to do One Small Thing. Illuminated illustrations inspired by the natural world will combine with evocative messaging, encouraging visitors to make a small change and help protect the environment. This mirrors Kew’s mission, to understand and protect plants and fungi for the wellbeing of people and the future of all life on Earth. Since the first festive trail in 2013, the Christmas at Kew team have been looking at ways to deliver a more sustainable light trail, and their 2022 trail used 50% less power than in 2021.

For the first time, Kew’s iconic contemporary art installation, The Hive, will feature in the light trail. At a towering 17 metres tall, The Hive is a striking multi-sensory installation that connects to a real bee colony living at Kew, expressing its life in light and sound created by U.K based artist Wolfgang Buttress. This Christmas, over 1000 LED lights will glow and respond to a new rhythm triggered by a bespoke soundscape.

Lili by TILT

Elsewhere, Lili by TILT, a series of abstract, illuminated flowers that stand at almost 3 metres tall, towering over visitors, makes its UK debut. ArtAV return with Trapezoid, one of the longest light tunnels to ever feature at Christmas at Kew. Along Camellia Walk visitors will wander beneath over 400 colourful cascading lights suspended from the tree canopy, all set against an assortment of neon backdrops.

Moonlight Flowers by OGE Group

Creative studio Pitaya return to Kew with Spark Ballet, 24 lanterns filled with subtly sparkling lights that appear to ‘dance’, and Candles. This brand-new commission sees one hundred candles suspended in the air, magically appearing to float above visitors’ heads. The flickering flames will illuminate tree-lined passageways to create an enchanting festive atmosphere.

With many of Kew’s 12,000 trees and other botanical treasures being accentuated along the route, visitors can wander beneath colourful canopies and bushes draped in seasonal sparkle, experiencing nature from a new perspective whilst treasuring the essential role that plants play in all our lives.

Christmas Cathedral (c) RBG Kew, Jeff Eden

Other returning favourites include Kew’s famous Christmas Cathedral, a twinkling tunnel of light inspired by arched church windows, and a newly designed Fire Garden where more than 300 candles line the path to the Temperate House, the oldest Victorian glasshouse in the world, as flame bulbs create the illusion that this cathedral of glass is glowing from within. 

To add on the experience at Kew, visitors can book a traditional Christmas dinner at The Botanical Brasserie and  Kids favourites can be found at the Family Kitchen & Shop, plus there is a selection of treats from independent street food vendors also available along the route. 

Sandra Botterell, Director of Marketing and Commercial Enterprise at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, said: ‘Christmas at Kew is a magical celebration of Kew’s natural landscape, offering sparkle and festivities during the winter months. With an incredible range of brand-new installations and some returning favourites, this year’s trail is guaranteed to be a seasonal spectacle like no other.’

Rosie Hanley, Director of Marketing at John Lewis, said: 'John Lewis is delighted to be part of this iconic trail which over the years has become a new Christmas tradition for many to enjoy together. As the only brand partner to have ever been integrated into Christmas at Kew, we are excited to unveil our installation for all visitors to enjoy.'

Meanwhile at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, Glow Wild celebrates a milestone 10 years. Bringing festive magic and wonder to the South East with 10 new installations and myriad hand-crafted lanterns, this winter lantern trail is not to be missed.

Tickets for Christmas at Kew and Glow Wild are available to purchase at: www.kew.org

Christmas 2023: UK’s Wakehurst gardens open Glow Wild festival with UK's tallest living Christmas tree

Wakehurst* unveils UK's tallest Christmas tree standing at 37m tall
adorned with 1800 energy-saving light bulbs.
Photo: Visual Air © RBG Kew 2023 

As retailers around the country are promoting Black Friday deals (an American tradition after Thanksgiving that falls on Thursday November 23 this year), Wakehurst* gardens in Sussex get off to a festival start for the Christmas 2023 season by unveiling "UK’s tallest living Christmas tree" and open the 10th anniversary of Glow Wild, a festive trail that is brought to life after dark.

Wakehurst* hosts Glow Wild to light up its wild botanic garden, bringing festive magic and wonder with 10 new installations and myriad hand-crafted lanterns. The 2023 edition of the winter lantern trail marks a decade of mesmerising memories and community spirit.
Photo: Visual Air © RBG Kew 2023 

Glow Wild is opened on selected evenings from 23 November 2023 to 1 January 2024,  from 4.30pm to 10pm (last entry 8.20pm), offering various ticket options including flexible tickets.

Wakehurst celebrates its tenth anniversary of Glow Wild, billed as Sussex's ultimate festive trail, featuring a never-before-seen route with brand new installations, and plenty of other surprises, according to Wakehurst's press statement. 

As darkness falls, the gardens are brought to life with beautifully hand-crafted winter lanterns and captivating light installations created by leading artists.

With under 4s going free, Glow Wild is the perfect Christmas sensory experience for little ones and indeed the whole family. This year, Glow Wild celebrates the sublime, inviting visitors to become part of the trail and discover awe-inspiring moments in nature.

Photo: Visual Air © RBG Kew 2023 

During this opening week, Wakehurst offers special ticket promotion plus new flexible ticket offer that allows date swaps and upgrades up to 72 hours before visit in recognition of the strains faced by many during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Wakehurst has released accessible priced tickets for the opening week of Glow Wild and hopes this, combined with its free tickets for under 4-year-olds, helps families as they prepare for the festive season. The new flexible ticket offer allows bookers to swap or upgrade tickets up to 72 hours before their visit – available for new and existing bookings.

Photo: Visual Air © RBG Kew 2023 

There are lots to do in Glow Wild, including a series of new sessions for adult-only nights, quiet experiences, and relaxed slots adapted for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Marking a milestone 10 years, this year’s theme invites visitors to reflect on the awe-inspiring moments in the natural world – from epic examples of wildlife to delicate details of plants and fungi. In true Glow Wild tradition, over 1000 lanterns are handmade by local volunteers and community groups, with the tenth anniversary mile- long trail also boasting eight brand new bespoke installations from leading artists.

Photo: Visual Air © RBG Kew 2023 

There is a new interactive experience with Wakehurst’s ‘Starkeeper’ from Long Nose Puppets. Visitors young and young at heart are invited to make a wish on a star to hang in the ‘sky forest’ before they continue their journey. Other friendly faces can be found in giant parading peacock, Percy who give a glowing welcome to all entering the gardens.

In addition there are pop-up stalls throughout the trail offering dwelling points to admire installations whilst visitors can enjoy hot drinks and snacks. Crackling fire pits located close to the Starkeeper form the perfect spot for toasting marshmallows, whilst festive grab and go options can be found under the UK’s tallest living Christmas tree.

Quiet Sessions are available every night at 4.15pm, whilst a series of Relaxed Sessions offer gentle performances adapted especially for children with special educational needs and disabilities. For those looking for the perfect date-night, adult-only slots will run each Friday at 8pm offering a quieter, more intimate experience.

*Wakehurst is affiliated to London's Kew Gardens. It is home to the Millennium Seed Bank, with more than 500 acres of diverse landscapes and plants from across the globe.

Abundant blooms and tropical foliage from Terrarium's wallpaper collection

Now that the temperature is warming up with the promise of summer, it may be a good time to update our interiors to reflect an optimistic mood.

Independent luxury lifestyle and accessories brand Terrarium known for its colourful nature-inspired product range has got a new collection of wallpaper that brings the beauty of nature into the home.

Hothouse wallpaper.

Hothouse wallpaper.

Terrarium designer and founder Sophie Thompson whose unique design style is inspired by botanical narratives, has captured the abundance of colourful blooms alongside the lush tropical folliage in the Hothouse range, inspired by the orchid exhibition at London's prestigious Kew gardens in which the tropical glasshouses are filled with a vast variety of beautiful flowers.

Glasshouse wallpaper.

Another popular design is the bold and bright tropical Glasshouse design featuring foliage, insects and botanical plant labels, also inspired by the beautiful glasshouses at Kew Gardens and the layered leafy environment confined within this steamy glass structure.

Flowers and Cooling Tower 

Meanwhile the Flowers and Cooling Tower wallpaper shows off blooms that grow in and around coal-fired power stations and electricity pylons giving it an industrial twist.  The contrast posed between nature and a manmade environment also fires up an intriguing effect.

The wallpapers are digitally printed in the UK on a non-woven supple 180gsm paper.  Each roll is 52cm wide with a length of 10 metres per roll.
There are also matching furnishing fabrics and cushions to match the wallpapers for a total look.  More details on the Terrarium Designs website.