The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has launched its Christmas at the Botanics event.

The garden will be transformed by new installations and illuminations, celebrating the beauty of plants.

The event will run for 35 nights on selected evenings from tonight to December 30.

The trail has been designed to complement the existing landscape, with nearly 95 per cent of the lights being LED.

Visitors can look forward to a stroll through the Christmas Cathedral and keep an eye out for Santa along the way.

With 80 per cent of the trail revised for a fresh perspective of the garden, new installations for 2024 include the Sea of Light, a large-scale installation covering the ground with thousands of individually controlled LED lights.

Other new additions include a flock of sparkling Robins, a Pealit Tree, and Firework Trees.

Group of friends admire the 'magical' Floating Candles by Pitaya.Group of friends admire the 'magical' Floating Candles by Pitaya. (Image: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh) The trail is not only a winter activity for families and friends but also supports the garden's work to tackle the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency.

Ticket sales help fund the Botanics' international plant research, conservation work, and education programmes.

Sarah Cathcart, director of learning and engagement at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said: "It’s my first Christmas at the Botanics as director of learning and engagement, and I’m excited to share the experience with the public to bring to light the amazing stories about the garden’s diverse collection of plants.

"The trail offers a unique opportunity for visitors to connect with the important conservation work we do year-round.

"Each installation depicts a story about the inspiration taken from the natural world, encouraging visitors of all ages to think more deeply about protecting our planet."

The event offers an off-peak ticket as well as reduced-priced family tickets, to help make the event affordable, accessible, and inclusive for all.

Tickets for this year’s show are on sale now from here, with visitors encouraged to book in advance to guarantee their preferred timeslot.