What’s better than exploring a renowned Bay Area garden’s sprawling collection of cactus and succulents? What if the plants were accompanied with all sorts of artwork, light installations and lasers?
That’s the theme this holiday season at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, which just announced dates for its annual Garden of D’Lights spectacle. The show runs on select nights from Nov. 24 until Jan. 6, with multiple timed entrances each night. Tickets are $29 for adults and $16 for children, with kids 4 and under getting in free.
“This year we have new hanging lanterns and tree uplighting,” emails the garden’s Monica Avila. “Artist Paige Tashner will be installing two large-scale (8 to 10 foot), not-for-sale ‘Trust Cats’ in the plaza. These were featured at Burning Man this year! In addition to the two large-scale cats, Paige will also exhibit two of her smaller ‘Glow Cats’ in the garden that will be for sale.”
And, adds Avila, “Napa-based artist Scott Haycock is creating a new jellyfish installation that will be inside the Folly (a wooden structure at the garden’s entrance), and is set to return with his ‘Cactus Dome’ and fish mobiles.”
For folks who’ve never visited, the nonprofit Ruth Bancroft Garden is home to cacti and drought-tolerant plants from all around the world. According to its “What’s In Bloom” guide to December, visitors to the holiday show might expect to see not just spectacular lights but flowering Tangerine Aloe, delicate-purple Lace Echeveria and the jellyfishlike blooms of Eucalyptus native to Australia.
Tickets for Garden of D’Lights’ timed slots must be purchased in advance on the garden’s website. Dogs on leashes are allowed, and children must be accompanied by a guardian.
Details: The garden is located at 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. Tickets for Garden of D’Lights are available at ruthbancroftgarden.org/garden-of-dlights.
