Wow! The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ was great! Gorgeous plants, birds, and scenery, the botanical gardens had it all! There were several pathways highlighting different habitats. All were manageable and the botanical gardens can be covered in a few hours. We purchased an annual membership and visited a few times over the week (and still didn't cover everything) because my tendency to move slowly when I am birding and seeing new things. If lots of walking is a problem, there are plenty of places to sit and take in the scenery. The gardens offered two restaurants, one at the entrance (Gertrude's Restaurant) and one at the back (Patio Cafe). We only ate at the patio cafe. The food was good quality and they offered sandwiches, salads, wraps, and snacks. There were also cold water stations and restrooms located throughout the gardens. At the entrance of the botanical gardens is a beautiful Chihuly installment from when he had an exhibit here. The exhibit was a few years ago, but I wish we had been able to see it. I bet it was spectacular! As you enter the gardens, there are beautiful views with a large variety of cacti and plants. We were hoping to be there when the cacti were blooming, but we were told that they need heat to bloom and will do so during the summer. Nonetheless, several types of cacti had blooms starting or were blooming while we were there and were just beautiful. Among the many species of birds that nest at the Botanical Gardens, there is a nesting pair of Greater Roadrunners! The first day that we visited was apparently the day that the eggs hatched and we got to see one of the parents feeding a chick. I saw at least 20 species of birds and got a few lifers. Hummingbirds (I saw Anna's, Costa's, and Black-chinned), Gila Woodpeckers, flickers, Cactus Wrens, Verdins, and Curve-billed Thrashers were plentiful, and back by the Patio Cafe Gambel's Quail were running around everywhere. In addition to the birds, there was plenty of other wildlife including lizards, Rock Squirrels, and ground squirrels. The squirrels were my favorite, having never seen these species before my trip to Arizona. While we were there, they also had a seasonal butterfly exhibit. It was an extra charge unless you were a member. The exhibit was filled with lots of butterflies, information, and knowledgeable guides who were ready to answer questions. My favorite was the Zebra Longwing Butterfly. All in all, we had a great time and we can't wait to visit again!
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September 2022
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