Sunday, October 16, 2022

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!

18 comments:

  1. Such breathtaking beauty in the desert, Cathy! It's sure not all the brown and gray people think it is! And you got some gorgeous photos. I'm very happy for you that you and Denis got to go to the DBG, and I'm grateful you shared it's beauty with us.

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  2. Your pictures remind me of our own visit to the Chihuahuan Desert Research Center a couple of years ago. So much beauty in the desert.

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    1. Yes, there is, and it always surprises me when others can't see it. (And that group included my own grandparents.)

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  3. Those photos and plants (and critters) are spectacular, Cathy. Is it finally cooling off a little?

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    1. I'm trying to remember where I stored my sweaters. It's only supposed to get up to 84° today!

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  4. Such beautiful pictures, Cathy! I am always amazed at the variety of flowers in the desert. Our growing season is winding down. Our temperatures are below average right now and we are getting frost over night. The fall leaves are spectacular though!

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    1. I have a dear friend who loves fall, and we've been having a virtual road trip via all the fall foliage photos I've been finding. :-)

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  5. I love that little cactus wren! I haven't seen one of those yet. Maybe someday. :D

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    1. I just checked the maps, and according to them, cactus wrens might be in the extreme SW corner of Utah. I tend to love all wrens because they have so much character.

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  6. What lovely photos! It makes me itch to get out and take pictures, except that everything's dying back here with autumn moving on ahead, and I don't find dying tree leaves inspiring, even if they are pretty.

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    1. I have friends whose favorite season is autumn; they wax lyrical about it. Me? Things are dying, and I loathe the coming winter. I *might* feel like taking photos of dying leaves if I actually got to travel to New England to be a leaf peeper.

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  7. Thanks for sharing - I'm always fascinated by the varied shapes of cacti, but definitely prefer most flower blooms.

    But I have to say that this post was worth it just for learning that there is a cactus named Crested Whortleberry :)

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  8. So glad you and Denis got to go to one of your favorite places and enjoy the beautiful cacti and their flowers. They really are lovely and thanks for posting the photos.

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  9. That whortleberry cactus is really amazing. Are all those little cacti and flowers part of it?

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