Arboretum all decked out for the holidays
The Morton Arboretum is decked out in its holiday finest as the museum celebrates the best of the season through early January in Lisle.
Reigning over the arboretum's 1,700 acres of trees as they bow to the unyielding power of winter is the Snow Queen.
Landscape architect Jerry Milewski imagines this fantasy character, who is on display inside the arboretum's Visitor Center events room through Jan. 4, as a benevolent one, commanding quiescent beauty from a dormant world waiting to be reborn in spring.
"She's all dressed up, bringing winter into the enchanted railroad room," Milewski said.
An intricate network of nine G-gauge model railroads, created and installed by members of the LGB Model Railroad Club of Chicago, traverse tracks that connect a frozen, wintry world as part of the arboretum's annual holiday celebration.
The Snow Queen presides over it, dressed in a flowing gown, her head adorned with a crown of glistening branches, an icicle in one hand, a bouquet of frozen flowers in the other, Milewski said.
Milewski, of American Gardens in Elmhurst, said he used a palette of white, blue and silver, along with icy transparencies, to bring the winter world into sharp focus.
Real white birch trees and red-twig dogwood shrubs combine with artificial evergreens, fanciful white butterflies, fake snowflakes and mounds of faux snowdrifts.
"On the evergreen trees, we have icicles and snowballs," he said. "As soon as you walk in the room, we have a waterfall."
A frozen waterfall effect is achieved with strands of pearl-like iridescent beads; a pond, where tiny scale-sized skaters glide, is created with mirrors, he said.
During this season the Visitor Center is also the scene of a holiday tree display featuring seven trees decorated by professional designers, artists and floral arrangers, said Gina Tedesco, arboretum spokeswoman.
The display's centerpiece, she said, is a 14-foot tree designed by M&M The Special Events Company titled "Magical Enchanted Forest." The trees remain on display through Jan. 4.
On Dec. 11 and 18, arboretum visitors also can break bread with Santa.
Supper with Santa features a buffet dinner with a children's menu that includes cheese pizza, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and macaroni and cheese. For adults, the fare includes roast beef, turkey, mashed potatoes, seasoned vegetables and salad.
Tedesco said Santa will listen to each child's wish list after the meal.
"They get to plead their case," she said. "They get to tell Santa what great boys and girls they are."
Supper tickets are $38.88 for adults and $34.56 for children ages 2 through 12.
For those interested in the history of the arboretum site, the tree museum will present the Evergreen Express, a heated trolley ride through the grounds narrated by a docent. Tedesco said visitors will learn how the arboretum has evolved since the Ice Age while enjoying the scenery and cookies and cocoa.
Tickets for the Evergreen Express are $19 for adults and $16 for children.
<p class="factboxheadblack">Holiday Celebration</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> Through Jan. 4</p> <p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for youth, free for 2 and younger</p> <p class="News"><b>Info:</b> (630) 968-0074 or <a href="http://www.mortonarb.org" target="new">www.mortonarb.org</a></p>