Garden D'Lights!

The pond garden complete with cattails, water lilies and frogs. 

Each year during the holiday season Bellevue Botanical Gardens in Bellevue, Washington puts on it's acclaimed Garden D'Lights exhibition, a truly marvelous display of gardens made entirely of colored lights. It's a "must see" if you are in the area even if it's raining, as it often does, this time of year.

Crops flourish in this country garden plot. Corn, tomatoes, peppers and trellised grapes.

The craftsmanship is so meticulous that identifying each plant is effortless and with each discovery you'll find yourself more amazed. Listening to conversations around us was like visiting any other garden in summer. "Did you see the delphiniums? Aren't they gorgeous!", or "There's a turtle on that rock! Do you see him?"

As you walk through the paths of the display you come upon themed gardens. There is a perennial border, a pond, tropical waterfall, and new this year to the Asian garden, a dragon and waterfalls. Children are encouraged to find all the animals on a list, frogs, turtles, parrots, slugs and more.

A parrot perches in a tree overlooking the tropical garden.

Us adults had just as much fun as the children trying to spot the animals amongst the flowers.

This dragon is outfitted with a smoke machine for optimal effect.

Pergolas were covered in vines of wisteria and, my favorite, the golden chain tree covered walk was fabulous!

I pondered the rain and decided that the wet surface actually enhanced the beauty.

The lowly gardener tending her pots.

The "aquarium" was located inside the visitor center.

Even though the cold, wet winter of the Pacific Northwest had descended upon us, our spirits were lifted by the reminder from Garden D'Lights that spring, followed by summer, was just around the corner.

I'd like to make mention of my photographer, Mary Hattfield, and thank her for making this post possible!