Desert Botanical Garden
Botanical garden · Minnesota Court
1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008
Highlights
Explore 50,000 desert plants on 140 acres with dining.
Explore 50,000 desert plants on 140 acres with dining.
"Phoenix offers a sunny winter destination with stunning desert landscapes and a wide array of outdoor activities." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeare
"Nestled alongside the red rocks of Papago Buttes, the Desert Botanical Garden is an 85-year-old oasis with about 50,000 desert plants spread across 140 acres and five short, differently themed looping trails; it’s an easy, pleasant walk to get a sense of place, and the gift shop is great for desert-themed mugs, hats, T-shirts, local honey, wildflower seeds, and a prickly pear drink mixer." - Nikki Buchanan
"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? 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 prioritize Arizona spirits, like Tucson whiskey smoked with mesquite and Sedona gin made with foraged juniper." - Chris Malloy
"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
"Sitting across from Papago Park, and next to the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden showcases the flora and fauna of the hottest parts of the world. Though some trails teach about the desert environments from around the world, most of them concentrate on the Sonoran Desert. In the spring, the Desert Wildflower Trail is bursting with color, displaying also a butterfly and hummingbird garden. By hiking uphill on the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail guests can get a slight workout, and on the Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail they’ll gain insight into the lives of the people who called this desert home for thousands of years." - MATADOR_NETWORK
