Wednesday, May 15, 2019

A Stroll through the Desert Botanical Garden, Part Two


Last week, I shared half of our visit to the Desert Botanical Garden and left you just as we were getting close to our favorite place to relax, the Patio Cafe. Now it's time to share the rest of our stroll with you.

These virtual tours do have their advantages. You don't have to slather on sunscreen, get your wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and bring along a big bottle of cold water. But we did, so here we go!


The building is the Webster Auditorium. The huge cactus towering over it to the left are cardon cactus. They are the biggest cactus in the world, and they've been here as long as the Desert Botanical Garden has-- 1939.


The cardons were in bloom, too, and the outer layer of those blooms looks and feels like tan velvet.


Cactus flowers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, including pink-tinged white.


The Patio Cafe from our vantage point. To the left, you can buy drinks and food. Note that large pot on the left. There's more than meets the eye going on there.


Squirrels of all sizes live at the Garden.


There was a French family sitting at that table. The youngest son was trying to photograph the wildlife (Tip #1: Don't chase the critters around) while the older son was trying to feed the quail by hand. (No success.) Then the older son relaxed with both arms hanging down almost to the ground. You should've seen him jump when a large squirrel came over for a handout and sniffed his fingers!


Juvenile male Gambel's quail.


We'd been feeding two nursing mothers raw sunflower seeds when I discovered that one of them had her seed cache under that large pot!


Cactus flower


A nice shady bridge. I was heading for the succulent garden.


A rare crested saguaro. There was a hole further down its trunk. You know me. I always check holes.


That's because there's usually something looking out at me!


I loved the name of this cactus. Mother of Hundreds.


Some cactus blooms can be a bit... unsightly.


Garden view.


Multi-tasking: hulling sunflower seeds and cooling her tummy on the ground. (db)


A new prickly pear pad. (db)


Ocotillo blossoms. (db)


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Inside the butterfly conservatory. (db)


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Golden barrel cactus blossoms. (db)


Huge Madagascan ocotillo-- much different from our native variety! (db)


But I will say that our native variety has much prettier flowers! (db)


Sonoran Desert snowdrifts.  (db)


Well, that concludes our stroll through the Desert Botanical Garden. I hope you enjoyed it because we certainly did!

8 comments:

  1. Very enjoyable. Photos are awesome. Flora is beautiful (mostly) and the squirrels are cute, as always.
    What is that bird (I guess) looking out at you?
    Am reading Elly Griffiths' book 11 with Ruth Galloway, The Stone Circle, and just learned she is writing book 12.

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    1. I think the baby bird is a curve-billed thrasher after seeing its parent come to feed it.

      I've read The Stone Circle and am planning a post about that next Ruth Galloway mystery.

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  2. Such lovely 'photos, Cathy! And what a beautiful day you had for your visit. I love it that you also got to see some of those animals (some are easy to miss if you're not looking). Thanks for sharing the journey with us.

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  3. You got to see a bunch of cute critters! And those blossoms were all glorious! This was a banner year in regard, right?

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  4. So beautiful! I love all the blooms and the cute asides about the animals!

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  5. Finished The Stone Circle. This complicated relationship is going to drive me to drink (figuratively speaking). Will Ruth move? What will happen with Frank? The families? Children? Can't wait until book 12.

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