Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix-Scottsdale

 

 

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The Desert Botanical Garden helps you enjoy the beauty of the desert and care about it.  Come for the events or exhibits or simply make a reservation to roam and enjoy the Garden’s beauty.  But watch out that you don't miss the road that leads to the Garden. The small sign is only visible from one direction of the road.  Traffic in Scottsdale is rather heavy at all times of the day. 

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On the trails, experience the unique and beautiful plants that thrive in some of the hottest and driest parts of the world.

The Fall Plant Sale at Desert Botanical Garden is every October.  Choose from a unique selection of cacti, succulents, and agaves as well as aromatic herbs, vegetables, and flowering perennials.  Garden experts will be available to help you select the ideal plants for your home.

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Unfortunately, I was too late to enjoy dinner there.  But if you go, don't miss brunch, lunch, dinner, and cocktails at Gertrude’s.  A "Diners’ Choice Award" winner - offers a fresh food experience at the garden, focusing on ingredients directly from the farm and pasture to the plate. 

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Musik in the Garden:  Enjoy a stunning Garden backdrop as you experience local bands during the Friday’s night series.

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Come to see this exhibition: Fernando Botero - El Maestro

Harmony of color and beauty of form come together in this exhibition of paintings, drawings, and monumental sculptures celebrating the visionary Colombian artist, Fernando Botero.

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Since 1939, Desert Botanical Garden has served as a global leader in the research and conservation of desert plants and their habitats.  Today, the Research & Conservation staff at the Garden collaborates with academic, research, and conservation groups across six countries and four continents. 

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I was wondering when I came to the garden that all parking spaces were occupied at 6 p.m.  The reason might have been their invitation to visitors: 
"Enjoy complimentary admission to the Garden every second Tuesday of the month."

Usually, the admission is $24.95 – $29.95 
Youth 3 – 17 - 14.95- $16.95
Stiff prices, compared to Tucsons Botanical Garden, which is smaller but has a similar collection of plants. So, try to take advantage of these free admission days if you can.

The Scottsdale Botanical Garden is open from October to April 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

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Once you reach these mountains, stay focused as the entrance to the Desert Botanical Garden 

will be soon to your right - not well signed...

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Never Water Again

If you are living in the South-West of the US, you know the dilemma: To be a good citizen and water-wise and at the same time having a beautiful garden is not easy.  But there are gorgeous plants that can help you to achieve just that.

Visiting once the San Francisco Bay area (especially the Ruth Bancroft Garden) and Monterey - and everything in between - I fell in love with Ice Plant aka Blue Chalk Fingers aka Senecio Mandraliscae. There are few, if any, plants this silver-blue! 

The Succulents and More blog reports: “This spreading succulent from South Africa produces stems that crawl along the ground and eventually form fairly dense mats. It’s VERY drought-tolerant but grows more quickly with regular irrigation. Senecio Mandraliscae is perfect for larger areas, and like many other succulents, and is extremely easy to propagate. Simply stick a cutting in well-draining (sandy) soil and it will begin to root within a week." 

The Ice Plant / Chalk Finger makes a marvelous ground cover and fits well together with a group of Agave "Blue Glow".

Help to Fight the Drought - Become Water-wise:
Small adjustments can have a big impact. Get nearly 100+ water-saving tips in these articles

http://wateruseitwisely.com/site-map/

http://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/

http://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/landscape-care/principles-of-xeriscape-design/low-water-use-plants/

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Desert Gardens Near Berkeley, CA

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One Women - One Vision - is the mission for the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, a lovely small town not far from Berkeley / Oakland in the eastern San Francisco Bay area. 

It's not only a small botanical garden, dedicated to drought-tolerant plants - important in California, and in the whole South-West of the US - but offers lots of educational programs to garden owners, such as: 

• Successfully Growing Agaves at Home
• Succulent Propagation Workshops
• Beginner's Garden Photography .

Here are some photo impressions from a recent visit:

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Visitors cannot only stroll through the gardens and admire the beautiful Succulents, Cacti and Agaves, they can also purchase small plants and maybe convert their own gardens into such a desert paradise - and at the same time save water.  Enjoy your own visit there!

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