Swirling strands of rope lights. One hundred feet of rainbow. Uplighting, spotlighting, dripping icicle lights, bottle flowers, orbs, starbursts, and dancing fairy lights illuminating trees. You name it. We’ve got it. The Garden’s annual Night Lights event immerses visitors in a spectacular world of color and illumination. This year, artfully crafted displays made from thousands of twinkling lights celebrate different environments on Earth. Think meadows, seascapes, mountaintops, and, of course, icy winter wonderlands.
April Tougas, Horticulturist and Lighting Coordinator, is one of the event’s masterminds. She joined the Garden team in 2017, and oversees the Lawn, Secret, and Entry gardens, iconic spaces known for thousands of spring bulbs and stunning combinations of shrubs, trees, and summer-blooming perennials. Looking to learn more about the magic of Night Lights, what makes it so special, and what kind of displays visitors can expect this year, we caught up with April for a Q & A in between planting and planning.
NEBG: For those who may not be familiar with Night Lights, the event is a massive undertaking for the Garden. How much planning goes into Night Lights and how does it all get done?
April: Night Lights brainstorming usually starts in late February, or early March. Hundreds and hundreds of staff hours go into planning, purchasing materials, and building displays. Everybody on our horticulture team puts a lot of thought and creativity into how they want to showcase spaces they manage. Then we try to tie all the stories together. Starting in October, weekly volunteers help us out, putting in about 250 hours and doing all kinds of things from wrapping trees to crafting different elements.
NEBG: What’s it like to use a botanic garden as a canvas for a light display?
April: Because we’re a botanic garden, we get to play off the landscapes. We try to connect garden spaces to a theme. We’ll use warm colors to highlight distinctions between spaces like the Orangerie and Limonaia. We’ll highlight the structures of trees and plants, especially in the Lawn Garden. This is where we do most of our tree wrapping. And we always try to bring it back to nature.
NEBG: What elements of Night Lights are you most excited about this year? 
April: I’m excited to see everyone’s ideas come to fruition. One staff member recently shared an element of her display. Without giving too much away, I’ll just say it’s a scarf actually knitted with strands of lights. I’m also excited for both of the conservatories. These will be very elaborate, crafty, and much different than what we’ve done in the past. We’ve used all kinds of fun materials this year that we’ve never used before, and I think this will definitely surprise people.
NEBG: Can you give us a hint? What’s the weirdest material incorporated into this year’s Night Lights designs?
April: Pool noodles definitely take the cake as the most bizarre supply and that’s a surprise.
NEBG: What’s most special about coming to Night Lights?
April: It’s magic. It’s a way to remember your family’s experiences through the season, or even over the years. We also try to make things larger than life, so everybody feels like a kid.
Night Lights at New England Botanic Garden will run daily from November 25 through December 31 (except from Dec. 24 and 25). Tickets are on sale now and going fast. Learn more and book your tickets today!
— New England Botanic Garden, November 2022