"What is this place all about? The Sonoran Desert is often called the world’s most vibrant desert, and this garden’s 140 acres of wondrous plants show why. Sure, visitors know the Sonoran’s wavy-armed signature, the Saguaro cactus, but what about the dozens of other Seussian species: the organ pipe cactus, the barrel, the hedgehog? What will we see here? The winding paths carve past 4,400 species of plants and more than 50,000 plants total. Everything is compactly planted. You might walk by a wonder—like the soaring, sidewinding, wildly leafed boojum tree, which takes its name from a Lewis Carroll poem, and not even know. So keep your eyes open! What did you make of the crowd? The paths tend to get busy, but never feel all that crowded. What if we get hungry? The house restaurant, Gertrude’s, is far better than any botanical garden eatery should be. Gertrude’s cooks higher-end seasonal dishes using local ingredients. House cocktails use an Arizona spirit, like a Tucson whiskey smoked with mesquite and Sedona gin made with foraged juniper. How much time will we need? Between an hour and a morning, depending on how long you want to indulge your fascination. If visiting between June and September, come early to avoid the heat." - Chris Malloy
