Thursday, December 22, 2016

I need a little sunshine and warmth! Off to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ...

I took so many photos during my October visit to the DBG in Phoenix. Even after editing them down I'm still at over 200. Rather than work at wrangling the riches into a manageable post, or two, I'm just going to share a few photos whenever the mood strikes. Today we'll have a look-see at the entry garden. This just off the parking lot, as you walk towards the entry.

This structure is new since my last visit, in 2011.

Welcome to the Sonoran Desert...where every plant shows us...how life can thrive in these dry lands.

I believe these Chihuly works were installed as part of the 2008/09 exhibition of his work here at the DBG, they were such a success that the Garden purchased them.

I am no fan of Chihuly, to put it mildly. But I adore these.

They are perfect here, just perfect. Unlike a lot of artwork I see in gardens (both public and private) I feel these add to the overall design, rather than compete. Oh and did you spot the flying creature just to the left of the center spire? I didn't until I was editing photos. Lucky catch.

The blue sky backdrop definitely complements. I don't know that these would be so good against a cloudy Portland sky.

Now I've paid the entrance fee entered the garden proper.

I'm really not sure what's going on here. It looks to be a blooming Agave, right?

But this is the tip. Bloomed and since worn down? Or worn down in an attempt to keep it from blooming? I wish I knew.

Perfection. Color, shape, texture...

And this too.

Almost all my desert favorites represented...(no Agaves)...

I think I shared this image, or one similar, when I wrote about the creatures I encountered during my Arizona stay.

This whole area really speaks to me. I love a formal geometric layout that then goes a little wild with the plantings.

Ferocactus pilosus

And again.

Cylindropuntia X campii

And again.

These were not labeled but I'm guessing Agave 'Felipe Otero', since there were several Agave titanota elsewhere that were labeled and looked nothing like this (experts feel free to chime in).

Ah my heart beats faster...

The perfect container for these barrel cactus...

And I love the DBG logo, whether on the side of a building.

Or on a "trash" can...

Okay now I'm jumping way ahead, to the end of my visit. The other photos in this post were all of the entry area, but now I'm back outside, in the parking lot, and ready to leave. That was until I spotted plants off in the distance. Damn. The weekend after my visit was their fall plant sale...and they were already setting up!

I made the security guards nervous as I walked closer. They were circling at a quick pace. I tried to look unimportant.

So many great plants...so far out of my reach...

All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

25 comments:

  1. The timing of this post couldn't be better. Just yesterday--literally--I was thinking, hmmm, didn't Loree go to the Desert Botanical Garden recently? I don't remember seeing any photos. And here is the first batch!

    This, truly, is one of my favorite plant places on earth. My heart beats faster every time I see photos of it. And in less than a week I'll be there myself! I can't wait!

    I'm trying hard to ignore the two photos of the plant sale bounty. Too much for my weak heart to take!

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    1. The security guards aside I didn't bother to get any closer to the sale bounty because I didn't want to see all the glorious plants I had no chance of purchasing. Can you imagine????

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  2. What a spectacular garden. Those massed Cacti are amazing and I love the contrast with the grasses. But how frustrating to realize they have a plant sale and you can't go. Aaaargh!

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    1. This is the second time I've missed the plant sale by just days.

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  3. "I love a formal geometric layout that then goes a little wild with the plantings."

    I couldn't agree more. For me, it's absolutely necessary for the plants in a formal layout, geometric or not, to be given a bit of free reign.

    That agave bloom spike is just bizarre...and a bit suggestive...

    At first glance, I read "Ferocactus pilosus" as "Ferocious pilosus". It's kind of fun to say, actually, and it does seem appropriate.

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  4. Great photos. I really like the barrel cactus in the tall pot (and I'm now fixating on where I could do something along those lines). The volume of plants offered for the fall plant sale is astounding.

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    1. Seriously. I was trying to picture just how many people it would take to show up and buy all those plants. Their sales must be major events.

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  5. Really beautiful botanic garden and they do a lot of classes and special shows/events, the volunteers they have in the garden are very friendly and knowledgeable--a great place that seems to have a strong sense of community. We really enjoyed visiting last year.

    Wonder if the damage to the Agave scape was from a frost?

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    1. It does seem to be a botanical garden that is truly in touch with, and loved by, the local community. So you're thinking that Agave has lasted in that state since a frost last winter? (2015/16) That seems like an awfully long time for it to still look so good.

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  6. I feel like I've just been on a mini-vacation myself. Thanks!

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  7. Those barrels in that concrete pot were incredible. We really must go to Phoenix, sooner rather than later. Thanks for brightening up my cold, gloomy afternoon, Lori!

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  8. Love that Ferocactus!! And the Felipe Otero (?) Agave. Not to mention all that blue sky... It's overcast and raining here now... for which I'm very, very grateful, but already missing the blue!

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  9. I love this! Thanks for the warm views. Great shots of the oblique light on the cactus flowers--so pretty. I'll have to make a point to visit this garden next time I make it to Phoenix. Awesome coverage!

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    1. You won't be disappointed. It's huge - with so much to see.

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  10. Thanks for the dose of blue sky and warmth! Fabulous and I agree with you about the glass being perfect in that setting. Bummer about the plant sale taking place after your visit.

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    1. It would have been difficult to get plants home on the plane anyway. At least that's what I tell myself.

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  11. What a great garden! The color on the Ferocactus spines is amazing. They look pretty deadly, though. Could the name be short for Ferocious Cactus? Speaking of needing warmth,we are having another Christmas in LA - Judy and I got here yesterday. Hope to visit the Huntington again.

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    1. Lucky you! No California for us this Christmas, although we will be there briefly in the New Year. Hope you have a wonderful time!

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  12. I think Felipe Otero 76 should be green, at least from what I've seen and according to San Marcos. Mine are small, green and have thick leaves and it's hard to find images online of larger plants. Something that regularly surprises me is images of large Agave titanota. They seem to look nothing like the prehistorically-spined young Agaves that think of when I imagine A. titanota. For what it's worth.

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    1. There is so much disagreement about these two plants! Check this out: http://agaveville.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4332 (and no, I haven't read it all)

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    2. Thanks for the link. I've started reading through it today after seeing Weezette's IG post; what a great trip. Some of the A. applanata early on in the posts look so shockingly different depending on age. Some of the species they name look identical to each other as far as my layman's eyes are concerned. I look forward to the days when genetic testing is so cheap that we can use at home kits to test our plants and match them up against a species database. I am such a geek......

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