In pictures: Festive light show spectacular at Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden

MORE than a million twinkling lights illuminate the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in this year’s festive show.

A “Cathedral of Light” is among the highlights of the mile-long trail through the Botanics which opens to the public on Friday.

The after-dark event also features a Fire Garden and light show at the Victorian Palm House.

Keepers said the show provided an opportunity to highlight the work being done in more than 50 countries as part of the International Conifer Conservation Programme.

Regius Keeper Simon Milne said: “At a time when the only conifers we may be thinking about are Christmas trees, it is worth knowing that of the world’s 615 species, one third are listed as threatened.

“By coming to our event, visitors are helping us enormously to fund plant research, conservation and our work with communities. Our profits from the trail go to help finance our important work in Scotland and around the world.”