Desert Botanical Gardens

I decided to make a trip to Phoenix this weekend to tie some loose ends as far as meet-up locations for the upcoming Phoenix do was concerned. I communicated to Robyn and Adrian about my arrival and we agreed to meet, well it did not happen. Nonetheless I drove from Tucson to Scottsdale arriving at a little after 1:00 pm and headed straight to the Desert Botanical Gardens (this is one of the optional activities I‘m recommending to the Travbuddies coming to Phoenix). I spent a good two hours touring the Garden with fourty minutes dedicated to the Monarch Butterfly exhibition. I’m honestly ashamed to admit that after almost 7 years in Arizona, I had never visited the Botanical Garden, well not until today, I visited it only because I have put it as an optional activities for my fellow Travbuddies who are coming for a meet-up on October 23 and 24, 2009. The Garden is extraordinary, quite simply beautiful and I must add I would have spent more time had it not been for the heat. The weather man was wrong, it was supposed to be cool today (well I might have confused the weather of Tucson with that of Phoenix), but no, nah ah, it was over 90 degrees and a little uncomfortable if you know what I mean. The breeze made it a little bearable, but even then I could only dedicate so much time. I was delighted by the grand display of three giant glass forms in the front garden as one approaches the main information area. The artist Dale Chihuly of Chihuly Glass Studios has installed three exciting glass trees that grab your attention right off as you come in. The garden is a wonderful opportunity for us to learn about the plants, animals and birds in the desert environment. The towering Saguaro cacti impress upon you their depth and presence. I was able to count five thematic trails that illustrate a variety of topics, interesting and quite exciting for many tourists too. The many desert plants from various regions of the world are displayed on the Discovery Trail. The display of how desert plants can be used for nourishment are displayed on The Plant & People of Sonora Desert Trail. The one I could nor resist was one that bore my name, I felt the urge to cover the last name just to pass it off as mine, but I thought it might be unbelievable: The Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wild Flower Trail show cases wild flowers, I did take time here to enjoy the colors of the desert.

The Monarch butterfly exhibition is an added treat to it all, not to be missed for an extra $3.00. It would be a shame for a tourist to visit Phoenix and leave without visiting the Botanical Gardens. It's tourist friendly with plenty of picture taking opportunities (especially if you are a Travbuddy, ha-ha!). You can even buy some small boxed cactus gardens in the gift shop along with many other gifts.

The following is information on fees:
Adults $15
Students $7.50 (must have valid ID
Children $5.00 (4-12 years) 3 years and younger free
Seniors $13.50 (must be 60 years and older

The only thing I did not like besides the heat, was the entrance fees, I think it is a little steep for what is offered considering you have to pay extra for the butterfly exhibit.
Please do not forget to wear comfortable shoes, there is quite a bit of walking to cover all 5 trails, bring water, sunscreen and a sun hat if you are visiting between April and end of October.

The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix covers 145 acres and is among the best for showing off a full array of cactus and hot climate plants and flowers. And in the springtime many of the cactus bloom with colorful flowers. We managed to see a few and we could see many more that almost ready to open. The different areas are well maintained and the signage is very helpful in naming and identifying the plants. In the Hummingbird gardens we were able to watch a few birds come and feed from the flowers when the majority of people had left.
There was even a wonderful butterfly exhibit going on during our visit and for a very small extra fee you could stroll through a special tent and be right in with a large variety and number of butterflies.
This is a place where it is advised to visit early in the day prior to the heat. Even with a number of drinking fountains around the gardens, I would still advise a bottle of water to take along. And a good wide-brimmed hat.
This is a very informative, educational and beautiful stroll. Take your time and enjoy it to its fullest!

The Botanical Gardens are a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Phoenix(just not during the summer). You can see cacti from all over the world... it´s pretty sweet. I believe that the cost is only five dollars and it is worth it. There are very few places in the city that are as relaxed as this.

Also, it´s worth checking out the Papagos, right down the street. They are the buttes that you can see from the Botanical Gardens that have a lot of red in them. You can climb stairs up to a big hole in the rocks, which gives you a great view of the city. This is a wonderful way to watch the sunset:)