Desert Botanical Garden

The garden grew out of a small group of Phoenix residents worried about the loss of native desert. Swedish-born botanist Gustaf Starck is remembered for posting a "Save the desert" sign with an arrow pointing to his own home to gather like-minded neighbors. In April 1934 the group formed the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society to sponsor a botanical garden focused on the Sonoran Desert. Gertrude Webster, whose property covered what is now the Arcadia neighborhood, became a leading patron and served as president of the society's first board. Published accounts give slightly different dates for the founding (1934, 1937 and 1939 all appear), so it is safest to say the society formed in the mid-1930s and the garden opened to the public in 1939. George Lindsay was hired as first executive director in 1938 and oversaw the first plantings.

Webster Auditorium, built in 1939 and named for Gertrude Webster, still stands on the grounds and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 1, 1990. The garden later became a charter member of the Center for Plant Conservation, and a major expansion around 2002 added research, horticulture and education space.

The living collection is among the most significant cactus and succulent holdings in the country. Wikipedia reports more than 4,000 plant taxa, including roughly 14,000 cacti in over 1,300 taxa and about 4,000 agaves in 248 taxa, with the garden itself citing several hundred rare or endangered species; counts differ by source and change as the collection is curated. Beyond the Sonoran Desert, there are collections from Baja California, Australia and South America. The grounds interpret several habitats, including mesquite bosque, semi-desert grassland and upland chaparral, and more delicate plants from milder climates are kept under shadehouses.

Paved and gravel paths wind through themed trails. The Sonoran Desert Nature Loop is a short, roughly 0.2-mile climb to an overlook with views of the Papago Buttes, with exhibits on desert animals as well as plants. The redesigned Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert trail looks at how native communities, including the Akimel O'odham, have used desert plants for food, textiles, medicine and shelter, and includes a traditional roundhouse and a small riparian habitat with cottonwoods. The garden also hosts changing art installations; past exhibitions have included glass by Dale Chihuly and sculpture by Fernando Botero.

The best-known seasonal tradition is Las Noches de las Luminarias, a holiday evening event that has run since the late 1970s and lights the paths with thousands of hand-placed luminarias. Spring is wildflower and cactus-bloom season, while summer visits are best planned for early morning. Check the garden's own site for current hours, ticketing and event dates before you go.

• The garden sits about eight miles east of downtown Phoenix, close to Tempe, Scottsdale and the Phoenix Zoo, so it pairs easily with other Valley stops.
• Most visitors give it a couple of hours; plant lovers and photographers will want longer.
• On a Voyzo private tour, a private vehicle and driver collect you door-to-door and can time the visit for the cooler part of the day, leaving you free to linger on the trails rather than worry about parking.