The desert is a wild and scary and exciting place. Desert Botanical Gardens is a wonderful place to experience the desert, in all her glory, in amazing and classy comfort. Years ago my Eagle Scout cousin took me on some hikes through the desert pointing out every animal, cactus, plant, rock, snake, etc he could find. At first glance, the desert is stark and unforgiving. But, when he took me through with an attention to detail only an engineer can muster my love for the desert was secured. If only my pale skin and dry nose would agree perhaps I could live there.
At the gardens visitors can wander through perfectly manicured pathways and see everything the desert has to offer like desert wild flowers, yucca, agave, saguaro cactus raising their arms to the sky, Cholla cactus waiting to jump and attach itself to passersby, smooth and classy succulents, tall and skinny organ pipe cactus, tall and bazaar boojum, even a cactus they nickname the old man because it appears to have a bald head and wispy white hair! Like any botanical garden the specimens are well cared for and the perfect way to see a fine example of every type of species an area has to offer in a small package.
The gardens are home to a butterfly garden, a cafe, a garden center, and even boast Chihuly glass sculptures that light up the night. The gardens are a must see when visiting Phoenix and can be easily seen in a few hours. Just be sure to bring your hat and your good camera because I neglected to do so and the desert won’t let you get away with that!
For more Arizona fun visit my post on Casa Grande Ruins National Park.
To see some of the other amazing botanical gardens I have visited please click here! I do love photographing a good garden.
Boojum Tree, looks like it belongs in a Dr. Seuss book.
Saguaro Cactus cresting
Lovely view from the Sonoran Desert Nature Loop Trail
A photo from what I wish was my garden…
As if Cactus are hardy enough this one has prickles on the bottom side. Small animals beware.
Lots of birds live and nest inside the saguaro cactus. Seems to be a good place for a Disney cartoon to take place!
Nothing prettier than a blooming cactus. Best to visit in spring to see more blooms.
“Old Man” Cactus, this one cracks me up.
Tell me this cactus is not screaming to be in a black and white photo?!
Chihuli light sculptures
A lovely and unusual cactus seen all over the garden
Bulldog Travels / Photos By Jenny 
So amazing this is!!
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We were there in May. Love the gardens! Beautiful photos here. 🙂
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It’s a great place isn’t it? Were the butterflies out when you were there? they are building a new enclosure for them so they were off display when I was there. I will have to go back sometime.
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The garden is gorgeous in the spring when the cacti are blooming. Some of the plants are so unique and unusual it boggles the mind. It takes about 6 months to adjust to the lack of humidity…. so come on down (again) 😆
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I have family down there so I have been visiting all my life but never more than a few days at a time. And my poor body never likes it even though my mind certainly does. Six months huh? Good to know. I have seen the cacti blooming before but never in the gardens. That would be a site to behold one that my camera would love very much. Have you heard they are building a new butterfly enclosure? I would love to see that when it is complete. I will likely be visiting more and more in the future as the family continues to grow. I look forward to it always.
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I did not know about the a new butterfly enclosure. I’ll need to keep an eye on that now that we’ll be hanging around Phoenix a lot more/longer. Let me know next time you’re in town. I’d love to shoot with you. It’s always fun getting together with another photographer and comparing visions. If you’re too busy with family, totally understand 🙂
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Great idea. I will let you know!
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I love the quirky way you’ve photographed some of these amazing cacti. 🙂 The Saguaro is really amazing.
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Thank you! I try. When I have a camera I look at things in a different way. Thanks for the comment.
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I was in Phoenix on a business trip in 1996 and persuaded everone to drive to Tombstone just because of the gunfight legend. It was a lot longer drive than I imagined and we didn’t make it but I seem to remember a lot of desert and a lot of cacti!
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There is definitely a lot of desert around!
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The desert is indeed a fascinating place where I find more diversity in lifeforms than I expect. While in northern California and New Mexico, it was wonderful to see people embracing desert gardens for their homes.
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It’s all over the place in Northern Cal especially now that we are in a drought.
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“And I went to desert on a horse with no name…”
(‘hope I didn’t use that one here already)
🙂
Lovely pictures Jenny. I’m sweating already.
🙂
PS. You also show how the desert is full of life. 😉
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Great song. Lol. You are so funny.
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Thank you. Though I’m not sure I am. More than anythinh I’m a lateral-thinker. And seeing your wonderful photos brought the song back. Even remembered where I’d heard it first. I think I have a weird memory wiring. Bonne semaine Jenny.
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Thank you. You too!
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(And that puts a challenge for a next witty comment. OMG! What will I come up with? Stressed already!)
😉
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There you go. You have already done it!
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Haha! Look my friend, if anyone of us could give one laugh to another a day, the world would be a much happier place. You just gave me a good laugh. Thank you. Hope the day is going well. And if not, look out the window. I’m sure there are plenty of things to – at least – smile at. 😉
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True! Just looked out the window and it’s beautiful here. Fall will be here soon.
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It is one thing I miss here. No seasons really. Most trees keep their leaves all year round we don’t have the glorious colours of red, orange, copper leaves of fall.
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Yah. That would would be hard.
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Oh you have done Dr Seuss proud with the lead photo. Fabulous perspective. Nature creates such a diversity of life one can hardly believe it possible. Yes black and white for the photos suggested. 🙂
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Thanks!
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Awesome! I love cacti… Not only are they able to survive my laissez-faire attitude to gardening, but the variety of shapes they take on never ceases to amaze me! Thanks for sharing your photos… I never knew the saguaro cactus grew those “crests” at the top!
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I couldn’t agree more with the laissez-faire attitude to gardening! And I didn’t know they were crested before either. First time I saw one of those was on this trip. I am glad you liked it too!
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Never been to the desert – it looks amazing. My pale skin would frazzle there too, but worth it (for a little while) to see these incredible cacti!
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You can just hide, like me, under a fortress of hats, long sleeve shirts, and 90 SPF. 🙂
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That would definitely be me!!
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The desert is subtle; it can’t be appreciated from the car. You have to go out into it to see the colors, textures, and unique shapes. Your pictures captured the best of the desert’s quiet beauty.
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Thank you so much! I couldn’t agree more with your sentiment.
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Have you spent much time in the desert Peter?
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My grandparents moved to Phoenix in the mid-70’s and my mother and brother live there now. I am embarrassed to say that I have never been to the gardens (or it has been a very long time). When I lived in San Diego, I used to take my Jeep out into some remote areas of the Anza Borrego SP and camp when I needed to get away. My brother and I backpacked through the Grand Canyon a couple of years ago and I did another trip there with a friend in my 20’s. Now we usually stop in the Mojave to camp for a night on the way to or from Arizona. Driving the Mojave Road, rafting the Grand Canyon, and camping in Death Valley are all still on the Bucket List.
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Death Valley is awesome. Always wanted to go to Anza B. You would recommend?
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Absolutely! Especially when the Ocotillos are in bloom.
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I don’t know what that is but it sounds awesome!
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very cool shots…nothing more weird than mother nature doing its thing in the middle of nowhere, like a desert (Is this in Tucson or Phoenix)
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Phoenix
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Ah…I lived in Tucson, they have the same plants…and cactus park or gardens
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Now that is some interesting plant – don’t see anything like it up here. When I first looked at the photo of the Boojum Tree I thought there was smoke coming from it! Until I quickly realised it was only clouds in the sky…hehe 🙂
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Boy if the plants in the desert started smoking it would be one truly unusual place!
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Ha- that would be something!
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Wow. This is all indeed beautiful.
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Thank you! And thank you for the comment. Come back anytime!
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A lovely post with huge cacti! I have never been in a desert before!
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It’s a different world.
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