Christmas at Chatsworth: ‘Celebrating the magic of The Enchanted Garden’
Chatsworth becomes The Enchanted Garden for Christmas, celebrating the magic and beauty of the natural world in midwinter and taking visitors into a rich realm where the mystical spirit of the outdoors reigns. Stephanie Smith reports.
Expect towering Christmas trees, a grand cluster of mistletoe, shimmering copper toadstools, and twirling oak leaf archways, all inspired by the wonders of nature.
The project was headed by Susie Stokoe, Textiles and Seasonal Programme curator at Chatsworth, and is something that she has been working on for almost two years, linking the Christmas experience to 2025’s main season exhibition.
“The Enchanted Garden is the culmination of a year spent honouring the beauty and resilience of the natural world at Chatsworth,” she says.
Visitors can explore 20 extraordinary spaces transformed with light, sound and shadow play. Expect towering Christmas trees, a grand cluster of mistletoe, shimmering copper toadstools, and twirling oak leaf archways, all inspired by the wonders of nature.
“I was looking originally at things like The Secret Garden - very much about renewal and recovery and rebirth,” Susie says. “It’s looking at nature and how it makes us feel, its impact on us. It is important to reflect on that.”
The adventure begins in the house where a trail of light, flowers, tree silhouettes and natural textures takes visitors through woodland-inspired spaces. Studio McGuire has made bespoke animations, projections and music, with seasonal scenes and enchanted fairies, while Bethany Cartwright of the Chatsworth Textiles team has made fairy houses.
There are also commissions from Peak District-based artists Winning Works, Everdenes, Wirksworth Pottery and Waney Grain, and willow sculptures by Emma Stothard.
In the garden, reality and magic intertwine along an immersive light trail by Luminism, which plays with Chatsworth’s best-loved garden landmarks including the Cascade, Willow Tree Fountain, Rock Garden, Ring Pond and Maze.
The journey ends with a spectacular animated light and sound projection on the house.
“Christmas is very much about nostalgia and memories and looking back, but it also has to have that sense of wonder and bringing into the adult mind that memory of that childhood excitement,” Susie says. “Nature does give you that - those moments that are very beautiful.
“There’s something about this year that is really chiming. I’ve got a really good feeling.
"As winter settles in, we invite visitors to pause, explore, and celebrate the quiet magic of the season.
“We can’t wait for people to step into this world of wonder and renewal, and to experience Chatsworth in a new light.”
Christmas at Chatsworth runs until January 4, 2026. Tickets must be booked in advance. Adult, from £36; child, from £10, and Chatsworth has extended its Universal Credit tickets priced at £3 for adults and £1 for children. Tickets provide admission to the house, garden, farmyard and playground, and parking. The Christmas market runs to December 14 and the Orangery and Stables shops will be open all season. A programme of festive events includes the black-tie Winter Ball on December 13 and December 20 with canapés in the Painted Hall, a self-guided tour and a four-course dinner with wine and live entertainment. The all-new emporium space will also be open to visitors in The Parlour, offering a range of festive food, drinks and gifts. See www.chatsworth.org/christmas.