Enchanted: Forest of Light Opens

The stunning and splendor-filled display debuts at Descanso Gardens.

If you've ever grabbed a flashlight and ventured into the backyard, not with any real purpose in mind save for shining the beam up through various branches and inside leaf-lovely shrubs, you know the stirring feeling found at the visually interesting intersection of nature and illumination.

It's an intersection people regularly explore by pointing green and blue and pink lights at their own yard-based Bird-of-paradise or Queen Anne palm. And it is a marvelous meeting point that will be merrily celebrated, with drama and beauty, at Descanso Gardens over the next several weeks.

The glowful happening is called Enchanted: Forest of Light, a ticketed, multi-night, straight-into-2017 spectacular that casts a literal light on the towering Coast Live Oaks of the stately La Cañada Flintridge spread. 

But the oaks aren't the only garden features that'll take centerstage during the incandescent affair; look for ten displays in all, including the Lightwave Lake, the "Flower Power" of dozens of lit-up tulips, and "The Pool" by artist Jen Lewin (a mysterious, dot-laden expanse that holds a few surprises for those walking atop the dots).

How far will you stroll to admire everything? About a mile. And do remember that this is all happening after the sun makes its exit for the day, so dressing for a walk in the woods is the right choice (so: layers).

Tickets? They're here, and they're timed, and you can bet that dates closer to the holidays may bustle, so ponder a weeknight in early December (though, truly, this could just be popular every night, so call it a bonding experience with other people who like nature and light in play).

Is Maple, the new restaurant at Descanso Gardens, doing dinner service during the Enchanted: Forest of Light run? It is, so find your stylish sustenance before heading out onto the oakly, redwoodish path of prettiness.

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