A few years ago my husband and I took a short vacation in Arizona. While we were there, I fell in love with the desert and with desert-inspired landscapes. Rather than seeing a barren wasteland of rock and sand, which is what my preconceived notion was, I saw a place filled with unexpected beauty and an overwhelming sense of tranquility. Life seemed totally in balance there, taking and giving in equal measures. Earlier this year we talked about going back there to tour the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix before the hard winter set in, but we just didn’t make it. Snowmaggedon hit first and trapped us here.
And trapped us it did! Having not stepped foot out of the house (and that is literal!) for nine days, I now desperately need a change of scenery. Unfortunately, my next change of scenery is most likely going to be a trip to the grocery store and possibly Target if I am lucky. Not exactly the trip to the desert garden I was hoping for. In past years, I would have been disappointed in the change of plans, but since my New Year’s resolution was to strive for contentment, I decided to embark on another trip – a virtual trip to the garden instead of a live one.
The funny thing that I have learned about being content and not giving in to disappointment is that sometimes other options open up. While I was researching virtual trips to the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, I found some other, lesser known gardens, zoos and museums that have incredible desert exhibits. If you’re experiencing cabin fever, or just the winter blues, I’d like to invite you to join me as I virtually explore three different desert gardens here in the United States. Who knows, these glimpses into new environments could inspire some changes in your own landscape come spring.
Stop One: Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona
The Desert Botanical Garden is a 140-acre botanical garden located in Papago Park. Begun in 1939 by a group of local citizens, the garden has grown into one of the most important research, conservation, preservation and education facilities in the world. Encompassing 55 acres, the garden contains “thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from around the world.” Many of these plants are considered endangered, on the brink of extinction. There are five different walking trails in the garden, each designed to feature a different aspect of the Sonoram desert, including a nature trail, a wildflower trail and a trail dedicated to the people of the desert.
The Desert Botanical Garden has a rich library of virtual tours available. I highly suggest these three for getting a good sense of what the garden has to offer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g58QL2CWy5U&t=4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3ybz-323XI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecLM4Lbg_DY
Stop Two: The Springs Preserve Desert Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada
A relatively young garden, The Springs Preserve Desert Garden sits on 5 acres inside a sprawling 180 acre park dedicated to preserving both the history of Las Vegas and the native environment of the surrounding Mojave Desert. Officially opened in 2007, the garden is unique in that “Nearly all of the native and cacti and yucca species on the grounds were rescued from local lands that were being developed for residential or commercial use.” Today, it houses one of the largest collections of Mojave Desert cacti and succulent species in the United States. In addition to it’s focus on the desert, the park includes 7 other interesting collections. It has received numerous awards, including the Garden Tourism award, "Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Traveling For."
While the garden has an excellent video series of each collection on their website, I would suggest starting here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWnKgx6XCQc
And then going here:
https://www.springspreserve.org/explore/botanical-garden.html#:~:textuse.This%20collection%20features%20various%20species,early%20morning%20and%20late%20afternoon.
Stop Three: The Chihuahuan Desert Gardens
Another relatively young garden, The Chihuahuan Desert Gardens were established in 1999 on the grounds of the University of Texas, El Paso. Its mission is to “ promote and share knowledge and understanding of the natural diversity of the region and its people.” The garden features over 600 species, both in their native environment and in gardens specially designed to show how incorporating native plants can be both beautiful and water-wise at the same time. The garden has an exceptional website, providing a wealth of educational information about the plants of the largest desert on the North American continent.
Unlike the other two gardens, the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens virtual tours are more focused on education, providing information about specific plants in the garden.
https://www.utep.edu/centennial-museum/chihuahuan-desert-gardens/#pictureGallery[gallery1]/8/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRaSswpupFg
For a more entertaining view of the Chihuahuan Desert itself, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-s3XplQ5DY
The visit is produced through the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens and features the wildlife of the desert as well as the flora and fauna.
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