21 November 2019
In Pictures: Glow Wild behind the scenes
From decorating the Christmas tree with 1,800 lights to making the nature-inspired lanterns...
Luminous lanterns, mesmerising light projections and evocative soundscapes are all part of the magic at Glow Wild, our winter lantern trail at Wakehurst.
But what work goes on behind the scenes to create our annual festivity?
Here at our wild botanic garden in Sussex, you'll find the tallest living Christmas tree in the UK towering over our Elizabethan Mansion. And, as you can imagine, decorating it is no small task.
Watch the video below to see how our dedicated team dress the mammoth tree for Glow Wild with more than 1,800 lights.
Our Christmas tree is a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum).
Did you know, this amazing redwood species can live to over 3,000 years and is the largest living organism by volume on Earth?
The largest redwood in the world lives in Sequoia National Park, California. Nicknamed General Sherman, the tree stands at 84 metres tall and over 11 metres wide.
Our festive sequoia doesn't quite beat that but it's still a whopping 37 metres in height. So it was all hands on deck to dress it in lights...
Before we can dress our Christmas tree, we have to prepare the huge string of lights.
Here in our Mansion, they are strategically laid out before hanging on the tree, with all the bulbs being individually tested.
The warm yellow bulbs add a beautiful golden glow to the giant redwood.
As you walk along the one-mile route, you'll spot more than 800 glowing lanterns of all different shapes and sizes.
The largest on show is the stunning moon lantern that will hang above Black Pond at 8ft in height.
With the wonderful botanic collection of the gardens in mind, the nature-inspired lanterns take more than 600 hours for our volunteers to construct.
Individual species, such as Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena), influenced the design of the pieces.
Woven by sculptor Tom Hare, the willow tunnels are surrounded by an enchanting dance of shadow and light.
Testing the way the willow structures create shadows from the light was part of the preparation for the trail, with Tom collaborating with light artist Mig Burgess.
Visit Glow Wild at Wakehurst to see the spellbinding trail for yourself.
