Garden Of Lights

This Richmond, Virginia, botanical paradise transforms into a winter wonderland.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden offers delights year-round, but it's never more enchanting than during the annual GardenFest of Lights.

A newly redesigned light show casts a brilliant glow on the garden's natural beauty, showcasing a winter landscape awash in holiday spirit. A dense web of fairy lights covers many of the trees and bushes, while larger-than-life flowers and other fanciful figures line the pathways and ponds. Every building features special displays handcrafted by staff and volunteers.

"When I have out-of-town company, I make sure we come here," says longtime volunteer Fran Purdum. "We have dinner and stroll through the gardens. It's festive, but it's a very peaceful place too. There's nothing like Lewis Ginter."

Jewel of the Garden

While there's a surprise waiting around every corner, the conservatory remains a favorite attraction for many. Seasonal blooms-including poinsettias, paperwhites, amaryllis, and cyclamen-fill the 10,000-square-foot house of glass and steel.

Thanks to the poinsettias inside, the conservatory exudes a soft red glow from the outside. Enter and you'll find a different display in each wing.

Under the 63-foot dome, palm trees swim in a sea of color. This month, guests will find a model train near the 20-foot holiday tree, plus a botanical interpretation of Gingerbread Mouse, a children's book. The vast orchid collection features more than 1,000 blooms in the east wing.

"The conservatory is definitely the highlight for those who love botanical wonders," says assistant director Tom Brinda. "It's a beautiful blend of holiday lighting and plants."

Fun for All

GardenFest begins the Friday after Thanksgiving and runs through the second week of January. Lewis Ginter normally closes at 5 p.m., but for the holidays, it stays open until 10 p.m. "It's a very nice time to explore the garden on foot with plenty of places to get warm in between," Tom observes.

Start with dinner in the Robins Tea House, the fine dining restaurant with Japanese-inspired architecture. You'll need reservations, so be sure to plan ahead. After you've enjoyed the gardens, linger in the Garden Shop. Gift ideas range from garden tools and planters to botanically inspired scarves and jewelry.

"We give folks a chance to step away from their daily lives and experience the gardens together as a family," Tom says. "I think that's a wonderful gift we give our visitors this time of year."

-CASSANDRA M. VANHOOSER

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Dec 2006
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