Less than 90 minutes from London is the home of the world’s largest wild seed bank – and this winter, the 500-acre botanic garden is transforming into a polar-inspired light trail featuring an Alpine flower carpet with 2,500 handmade petals

What’s new at Glow Wild this year?

This year’s theme is ‘In Search of Nature’s Gifts’ and brings to life a wondrous journey of discovery, taking visitors from pole to pole.

The trail has drawn inspiration from the work of Kew scientists in wild corners of the world, including a stunning Alpine flower carpet from artist Michelle Dufaur, crafted from 2,500 handmade petals. The installation celebrates the incredible plants that survive in remote landscapes and the work Kew scientists have done to safeguard Arctic flora and fauna.

You can also gaze up at a giant 5-metre-high iceberg lantern, Glow Wild’s tallest lantern ever, that serves as an impressive piece of artist Kerith Ogden’s wondrous polar landscape. The frozen setting is said to feature 68 penguins and over 1,000 fish – illuminated by dancing ribbons of colour from an Aurora Australis (aka Southern Lights) display created by projection-mapping specialists The Colour Project.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Glow Wild light trail without seeing Kew Wakehurst’s historic Elizabethan Mansion transformed into a canvas for a grand finale of spectacular projections. This year, it will come to life with artist Amanda Duncan’s bespoke creation ‘Murmurations’. Swooping flurries of birds, a synchronised swirl of fish, thousands of tumbling seeds…the hypnotic visuals serve as a climatic culmination of the natural wonders you will spot along the trail.

A sprinkle of festive fun

Those of you who love the festive season will also feel right at home in Christmas Corner. Especially when I tell you that this is where you can find an iconic living Christmas tree: a towering 38-metre-high Redwood strung with over 1,800 energy-saving bulbs. This is the final destination of the trail, and an opportunity to tuck into seasonal food and drink.

What else can I see at Kew Wakehurst?

This award-winning trail is well worth the trip from London. In fact, you’re probably going to want to make a day of it, as the sprawling Sussex-based gardens are home to some pretty remarkable nature: an idyllic plucked-from-a-fairytale dell, a dramatic Himalayan glade and a rich tapestry of global planting – just to name a few.

This also includes the world’s largest wild seed bank. A project that David Attenborough himself called “Perhaps the most significant conservation initiative ever“. The Millennium Seed Bank has evolved from a simple freezer in a Wakehurst chapel to a world-class facility with over 2.3 billion seeds of 40,000 different plant species, all of which are stored in hidden, bomb-proof underground vaults that are kept at sub-zero temperatures. It’s basically the Fort Knox of the seed world.

While you understandably can’t visit the vaults themselves, you can explore the glass atrium to see scientists at work in the labs and find out about the future of seeds in the Thriving and Surviving Exhibition. Keep in mind – in case you somehow need an extra incentive – you can add a reduced-price daytime ticket at checkout when you purchase Glow Wild tickets.

How do I get there?

Kew Wakehurst is located in the heart of Sussex and can be accessed by car or bus. If you’re travelling from London, you can hop on a direct 55-minute train from London Victoria to Haywards Heath station and then grab a Metrobus 272 to the gardens. Alternatively, you can drive there via the M25, which can take around an hour or more depending on your starting point. Parking is free for all Glow Wild ticket holders.

Know before you go

Tickets start from £21 for non-member adults and £14.50 for kids, with under-4s going free. Keep in mind that prices can differ depending on times. It is essential to pre-book tickets, and the trail is only open on select dates, so be sure to double-check the calendar. Time slots for entry start from 4pm onwards.