September at the Desert Botanical Garden

Denis and I were so fortunate to be able to get transportation that could load the two of us, Denis's wheelchair and my scooter aboard to take us to one of our favorite places, the Desert Botanical Garden here in Phoenix, Arizona. Just being able to get out of the house and be outside enjoying nature instead of heading to yet another medical appointment did the two of us the world of good. So much so that we're already planning our next visit.

The following are some of the photos I took while roaming the garden. Most people think of the end of September/first part of October as a time when Mother Nature is winding down and preparing for winter. I think you'll see through these photos that that isn't necessarily the case here in the Sonoran Desert.

When Denis and I entered the Garden, we noticed that they were installing a new art exhibit. I'll be interested in finding out more about it.

We got so much enjoyment from seeing just how many plants were flowering.

There's something so happy about daisies!

This saguaro was so happy to see us that he tipped his hat to us.

You had to be alert or you'd miss all the lizards (like this tiger whiptail) that were out and about.

I always see something new when I visit the Garden. This time it was a white silk floss tree.

I'd never seen a crested whortleberry cactus in bloom before, so I got a bit excited when I saw this side view of one.

Crested Whortleberry Cactus flowers

Another first for me was this spruce cone cactus. If you've ever seen a pine cone on a spruce tree, you'll be able to see how this cactus got its name.

Yellow Bells are native to the Sonoran Desert. I love them for their long blooming season and their prolific flowers. Hummingbirds and bees love them, and it's almost impossible to take a photo of one without having a bee butt in the shot.

This sage bush was showing off all its blossoms.

I think cactus flowers are among the most beautiful.

And they come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.

These were enjoying a little bit of shade (and so was I).

The most active birds in the Garden that day were Arizona's state bird, the cactus wren.

Even though I didn't come close to sharing everything that was in bloom, I hope you enjoyed your visit. I know Denis and I did!