Town & Country

Hello darkness, my old friend

WE know December is nearly upon us, as the season’s light festivals begin up and down the country this week. Glow Wild at Wakehurst, West Sussex, is always a good one, home to the UK’s tallest living Christmas tree (121ft; until January 2, 2022), as are the giant glimmering deer at Dunham Massey, Cheshire (until January 2), and Kew’s tunnels of light and Palm House lake finale (January 9).

Meanwhile, Windsor Great Park Illuminated features mythical creatures and flower fountains (January 9), Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, is under a Narnian spell (January 2), the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens has a mile-long trail of installations culminating in a display on the façade of Inverleith House (January 2), there are luminescent peacocks and a mirror maze at Longleat, Wiltshire (January 3), and Waddesdon’s Winter Light brightens up Buckinghamshire with giant dandelions until January 23. Don’t miss