Desert Refreshment: Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ

K was not always a fan of botanical gardens, but of late, she's had several occasions to visit them.  Turns out that she's found new treasures in all of them and plans to be a more consistent garden explorer.  There was the special Lantern Asia exhibit at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, there were fantastical sculptures at Airlie Gardens, and now, there were beautiful cacti aplenty at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ.

Simply put, if you want to see stunning desert landscapes, this is the place for you.  The cacti are beautiful, and in various seasons, there are plenty of flowers and butterflies.  Within the garden, there is a "desert living" home decorated with opulent landscaping for the arid climate.  The paths encourage wandering and the "finding" of such fun treasures.

Various areas of the garden depict different desert areas around the world, and we saw a fair amount of small wildlife, including numerous birds.

Was it hot?  Well, yes. It was Phoenix in July. Bring water and sip it constantly--there are plenty of water bottle refill stations, and garden employees were even driving about with trucks that could refill your waterbottle. The gardens are open relatively early and late if your schedule can so accommodate.

Be alert for special events.  A Bruce Munro lighted art exhibit had left recently, and while we snagged gift books picturing it in the gift shop, we missed it by some weeks.  Our understanding is that the garden is a fantastic venue for special events that include open-air concerts.  On this trip, K stayed late, hanging out near closing.  A special night walk event was planned, and we were able to enjoy parts of it, including conversations with great volunteers who were very welcoming locals who gave great dinner recommendations, just because we were in the right place at the right time.

Speaking of the right place at the right time, head to the Sonoran Desert area at sunset--specifically the seating area known as Pratt Ramada.  You won't regret it.

If you go, check Groupon and similar sites for possible ticket discounts.  The Desert is also near Scottsdale, AZ, and it would be easy to head there for dinner after a visit.  We recommend Olive and Ivy near Scottsdale Fashion Square, an upscale mall.  The mall area is open late, but many of the shops in "old" Scottsdale are regrettably closed in the summer "off season." In the garden itself, there's also a cool gift shop and an esteemed restaurant.  Park for free onsite, but reach the area by driving if at all possible (public transportation would have been much more complicated).  Plan to spend several hours.  In our 2+ hour visit, we estimate we saw around one-third of the garden.