My visit to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ

I thought this visit to the DBG deserved a thread all its own, as I got so many good photos there, and I didn't want them taking up so much space on my other thread. This is such an amazing place. I was here during the week of Feb. 10th with my sister Dawn. I don't have any pictures of myself here, but I have several of Dawn.

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Here at the entrance were these enormous, absolutely stunning glass sculptures by renowned glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.

http://www.google.com/images?q=dale+chihuly&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=SHVHTaSMFYSdlgfgkei6BA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CFAQsAQwAw&biw=1019&bih=572

This message was edited Jan 31, 2011 10:03 PM

This message was edited Jan 31, 2011 10:10 PM

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I loved this arrangement of cacti and succulent planters.

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A cactus wren.

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purple prickly pear
I just loved these cacti.

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I keep forgetting the name of this bird. Desert Thrasher?

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This was the only cactus blooming when I was there. Not the right season. They will be blooming in March and April.

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There were several sculptors there by someone called Ludvic, who I'm not familiar with. He creates his sculptors with car parts and scrap metal.

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dusky prickly pear

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Another Ludvic sculpture.

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One of the few desert plants in bloom.

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Ludvic again....

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Another blooming desert shrub.

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A happy bee.

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What, another Ludvic?

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Okay, well that's it for tonight. Will post more another day.

Karen

What a fascinating place, Karen.....great sculptures, & I loved the info on bees.....had no idea they couldn't see red, yet all the blue, purple & yellows! Even though it wasn't the blooming season, you still saw some, lucky you!

Thanks, Marilyn. I sure enjoyed my visit there. I had been there before, about 13 years ago, and decided it was time for another visit. My sister Dawn had never been there before. I sent her a link to this DG article on this cool place I'd love to go to someday in Baja California (Mexico). Dawn has been to Baja many times and said the desert in the Phoenix area reminded her of it, but without the ocean. It's actually part of the same desert, but being further north it has a bit different flora.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1574/

Karen

Thanks for the link, Karen....loved the cacti photos....some are so unusual looking....

Lovely shots, Karen! Quite a nice trip! The purple cacti are really pretty. Thanks for sharing your photos with us!