For seven nights in November, the magical lighting exhibition Moonlight in the Garden returns to illuminate and showcase JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University.
Sold out every evening in 2018, Moonlight in the Garden provides the only opportunity each year to access and experience JC Raulston Arboretum after dark.
“Moonlight in the Garden is a chance for us to light up the garden and share what a magical place the Arboretum can be at night,” said Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum. “The lighting displays and the artistic uses of light show how different a garden looks and what can be done to make it an enchanting space into the night.”
Exhibition dates include a special Preview Night, including edibles and beverages, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 to 9 PM; plus, presentations on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, Nov. 7-9 and 14-16, with two showings each evening, 5:30-7:30 PM and 7:30-9:30 PM. Click here to order tickets.
New to the Moonlight exhibition this year is the Arboretum’s new Air Bee & Bee, a five-star urban habitat for pollinators completed in August.
“Children love being in the garden, respond well to beauty, and appreciate and enjoy something that looks and feels magical. Anything you do that gets children out and looking at plants, gardens, and natural areas is an important thing,” noted Weathington. “It’s a powerful way to instill an appreciation for the environment around them.”
Moonlight in the Garden / JC Raulston Arboretum at NCSU / Courtesy of Frank Clemmensen
Advance tickets are $10 for college students and members of the Arboretum, $20 for non-members, and $5 for children under 12. Availability is limited and tickets will sell out in advance.
Moonlight in the Garden is sponsored by the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation and custom designed and installed by Southern Lights of Raleigh.
“Nature brings joy to life and illumination at night reveals new dimensions of nature,” said John Garner, Project Chair and President of Southern Lights of Raleigh. “Moonlight in the Garden is a huge lighting exhibition, using miles of cable powered by dozens of transformers to showcase the Arboretum with the latest and best lighting technologies.”
“We have one night exclusively for professional members of the community on Wednesday, November 6. This will be open to landscape architects and designers, interior designers, engineers, and lighting design professionals,” added Garner. “We expect that continuing education credits will be provided by the NC Board of Landscape Architects to participating landscape architects.” Register here for Professional Night.
JC Raulston Arboretum is one of the most diverse botanical gardens in North America, featuring a constantly changing collection of over 7,000 different types of plants. Ranked in the top 95-percentile in plant diversity based on benchmarking by the American Public Gardens Association, the Arboretum’s mission includes plant collection, research, distribution, and education.