Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet (near Myrtle Beach), South Carolina, celebrates the holidays with Nights of a Thousand Candles. I was there this December, and I will say I have never seen anything like it in all my holiday garden experiences. There is so much I could say about this incredible garden, but I’m going to let the photos attempt to share the magic.
We entered the magic through the peppermint path.
We wandered through the greens of the garden, lit up and reflecting.
I don’t know how they do it but the 1200 hand-lit candles glow in the night, every night. This pool was especially beautiful.
The garden includes many reflecting pools and the candles glow on.
Inside, this reflecting pool is temporarily transformed into a cranberry bog. This pool is surrounded by bronze sculptures. The garden displays over 2000 sculptures representing the work of 425 artists.
Every turn surprises you with a different lighting scheme.
This garden is a forest of magnificent live oak trees draped with Spanish moss. This scene just begins the excitement of how the trees will be featured in the most spectacular element of this holiday light display.
Brookgreen Garden has a live oak walk; by daylight, these grand trees dripping with Spanish moss create a mystical space. But for the holidays the trees are transformed by ribbons of twinkle lights strung from the highest branches reaching to the ground.
My experience with holiday lights was one light bulb about every six inches. These light strands were six lights every inch. You are enveloped in a cave of golden lights.
Up close you see the individual impact of the lighting. Perhaps they have an actual count of how many lights are in use but my rough guess is a bazillion!
Thankfully, someone knows how to decorate in such remarkable ways. I’ve reached the point in life where enjoying someone else’s holiday decorations is greatly appreciated.
I can’t imagine how long it takes to make this magic happen and how they take the lights down and not get them tangled!
If you would like to experience this magic in person, make plans now. It sells out every year, it begins Thanksgiving weekend and goes through December 31.
I hope to return to Brookgreen for a daytime visit, it is a remarkable garden with an incredible story.
I can’t imagine the man hours required to make this magic happen. It’s absolutely breathtaking. Thank you so much for sharing this.
What an incredible display! You’ve given me another one to add to my wish list. Thanks so much for this.
Beautiful…almost beyond words!
I’m late getting to spend time in these pictures. It must have been wonderful! Oh Christmas can be a magical time. Thank you, Linda and Rich, for always “taking your readers along”