Things to do in Phoenix, Arizona ~ Photos of Desert Botanical Garden ~ Worth Visiting!

Phoenix, Arizona

This part of the country was the location for quite a few General Manager meetings of the paper distribution company where my husband worked for many years in various capacities.

On three different occasions spouses were included and after the meetings commenced, my husband and I generally took a bit of vacation time and explored some more of what the beautiful State of Arizona had to offer.

When looking locally, we discovered the Desert Botanical Garden right in the City of Phoenix and anyone looking for things to do should check out this gorgeous desert garden set in Papago Park.

Papago Park is a huge place located minutes from downtown Phoenix and contains among other things impressive sandstone buttes which jut up out of the ground making for a great focal point of reference and interest. In addition to the Desert Botanical Garden, this large park contains other recreational things such as golf courses; the Phoenix Zoo; hiking paths; baseball stadium; softball fields; a fishing lagoon; archery range and the Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

We chose to check out the Botanical Garden on the day of our visit and were very happy with the experience.

(c) Peggy Woods - All Rights Reserved

Generally these manager meetings were hosted in the month of February which is a wonderful time to visit Phoenix.

This Capital City of Arizona is also known as the "Valley of the Sun" and is situated in the northeastern parts of the Sonoran Desert. And for certain, the sun shines often in Phoenix!

In the summer the temperatures can often exceed one hundred degrees Fahrenheit but in February the subtropical arid climate is most pleasant as it is for most of the winter months.

The meeting destination was a terrific change of pace for those people coming from the snowy north as we did when we lived in central Wisconsin, which at the time was the headquarters for the company.

For others, even if they came from the warmer climates of the South, the charm and distinctive beauty of the Phoenix area still made it an attractive meeting (vacation) site. Others did the same as us and tacked on a bit of vacation time either before or after the official meetings.

Desert Botanical Garden

While taking up only a portion of Papago Park, the Desert Botanical Garden is still a large place consisting of about fifty acres of plants under cultivation, thus it takes some time to wander through the pathways and see it all.

Some of the plants were very familiar to me as I had lived in the Rio Grande Valley in the town of McAllen, Texas during my teen-aged years and it is a subtropical climate. But others (which come from places all around the world) were unfamiliar and it was a treat to get to see them growing all together in one place.

In fact, some of these desert plants are quite rare or even threatened or endangered.

Because the botanical garden houses some plants not native to the area and some that are not used to growing in the extreme temperatures of the Phoenix area, the more tender ones are situated under shade canopies which help to protect them.

Some of these plants come from distant places such as Australia.

Others come from South America and still others from places like Baja, California where people go to enjoy warm temperatures, beaches and perhaps experience some whale watching.

Seasonal exhibits

This living museum is not static. The people who run and maintain this desert botanical garden which was first established in 1939 make it a fun place to visit and to come back and revisit at different times of the year because of their seasonal exhibits and special events.

During the holidays it must be fun for the people of the Phoenix area to stroll through the grounds which are lit up with luminarias brightening the pathways and lights strung into some of the trees.

For those unfamiliar with the term...a luminaria is typically a paper bag with some sand in the bottom which anchors a candle. When it is dark the candle is lit and the bag becomes a source of light.

Carolers add to the festivities as this youtube video shows to the right.

Sculptures and art is at times intermixed with the desert plants and blooming cactus.

Several YouTube videos show what these special exhibits look like and obviously they add to the overall enjoyment of visiting this garden.

I would have loved to have gotten to see the Chihuly blown glass exhibit when my husband and I were there.

At least someone recorded it so that those of us could at least see it via video format. What fantastic colors and shapes blended into the desert landscape!

Specialized tours can be arranged at the Desert Botanical Garden and what a great place to teach children about plants and nature.

Family activities like concerts are also held there and for those who wish to grab a bite to eat, there is an outdoor cafe.

Of course if one wishes to try one's hand at growing some of these desert specimens, there is the plant and gift shop.

Considering that Phoenix is the 6th largest city in the United States (as of the last census), one seems far removed from that sized population as one communes with nature in this Desert Botanical Garden.

My husband and I truly enjoyed our visit to the Desert Botanical Garden and if we lived in the Phoenix area we would surely return for the exciting seasonal and special events they routinely hold there.

Visiting the garden in the early morning light and also at sunset would be fun.

It is a great place to capture beautiful photographs and it is not surprising that many wedding photos are shot at that location.

If you are ever seeking fun things to do while in Phoenix, Arizona...be sure and check out the Desert Botanical Garden.