Five (glorious, sunny and warm) days in the desert

I've just returned from a trip to Phoenix, Arizona, to visit my brother and his family. Somehow eight years had gone by since I'd been to Phoenix, ten since I'd visited the Desert Botanical Garden (DBG), which is where this story begins... 

When I started planning my trip I went to the DBG website to see what days they were open, and that's when I saw notice of their plant sale. Believe it or not I remembered seeing them setting up the sale on my last visit and wished I could have attended, this time I was sure to be there on the right day(s). I'll share some pictures from the sale in a future post, but I thought I'd start with our haul. There's my brother Darin carting over his Leucostele terscheckii (Argentinian saguaro).

And here's our whole haul as we were loading it up. You can probably guess which one is mine (more on that at the end of this post).

This blog rarely includes people photos, let alone photos with me in them. But since Darin is a frequent selfie taker there are going to be a couple in this post. Here we are entering the DBG, with the Chihuly "Desert Towers" behind us.

When I mentioned my desire to visit the garden (and the plant sale) I warned Darin that he'd better plan on finding a comfortable spot in the shade to relax, as my garden visits can be rather intense, since I want to see every square inch. 

He was a good sport though, up for seeing it all. However, as we were trekking around in the sun (85F) we passed a group that looked a little tortured. I love collecting overheard quotes and was sure to write this one down... "I’ll tell you what, you better be glad Rachel didn’t come with us or we’d be walking every damn square inch of this f^&%!* place." Poor Darin, I was his Rachel.

The DBG was celebrating the season with pumpkins and gourds. This autumn "tree" was set up as a selfie station.

Pumpkin and gourd filled gabions

As we walked up to this autumnal garland draped across the sign I thought there's no way...

And I was right. That Tillandsia xerographica is not real. Can you imagine a Tillandsia sitting on a cement wall in full Arizona sun? Not a happy ending.

One more shot from the DBG today, but you can be sure there are more to come.

The first nursery we stopped at during my visit was Berridge Nursery. To my eyes October at a nursery in the desert looks a lot like spring in the PNW; vegetable starts, bedding plants, the offerings looked like Portland Nursery in May. The only photo I took was of their potting bench, available for customers to use. I had to wonder what the story was behind the lonely opuntia pad tucked in there.

We also stopped at Dig It Gardens. There will be a future post, but since this vignette looked rather Halloween-ish (bowling balls instead of pumpkins), I thought I'd include it here.

A Little Free (Saguaro) Library!

Love the tile work.

It's not every Little Free Library that has a ginormous Pachycereus schottii var. monstrosus (totem pole cactus) next to it. 

Okay I guess this isn't actually a selfie, my sister-in-law Nellie took this photo of Darin and I at the Jewel of the Creek Preserve—where there were hundreds of Saguaro and Cylindropuntia bigelovii (teddy bear cactus) growing. I was trying to look like I was hugging the teddy bear but I should have stood closer.

A grocery store stop provided this surprise. I've seen cactus pads (nopales) for sale many times, but this is the first I remember seeing Opuntia fruit (tunas) on offer.

We also squeezed in a visit Boyce Thompson Arboretum, where I was thrilled to see the Opuntia I spotted in 2018 still growing in this tree, a Tipuana tipu.

Here's my 2018 photo (from this post)...

It's grown quite a bit.

There will be many future posts with photos from this trip, but for now I'll end with my small haul...

Myrtillocactus geometrizans Crested 'Elite' from the Desert Botanic Garden plant sale. There were SO MANY things I wanted to bring home from the sale, but I've always loved this crested cactus and as a bonus I could fit it in my carry-on. 

We stopped at Desert Foothills Gardens Nursery, in Cave Creek, on our way back from the Jewel of the Creek Preserve—that's where I spotted these Agave victoriae-reginae 'Golden Princess' for just $5.

I'll take two, thank you very much. One of them had variegation leaning towards yellow and the other was a little on the green side.

The final three agave pups came from my brother's garden.

This spot is where, over the years, he's planted pups harvested from agaves in the main garden, it's where we dug mine. 

Unfortunately I don't know for sure what they are, but I couldn't resist the detailed bud imprints on these first two...

The third came from this handsome fellow. No marginal teeth, but still a strong pattern from the overlapping leaves.

Maybe an Agave weberi?

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An afternoon at Elk Rock Garden and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

It was a gorgeous 80+ degrees on October 15th, and also very windy. A great day to be outside, but not a great day to be working in the garden. So I set out to visit Elk Rock Garden and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. I've visited (and shared images from) Elk Rock many times, but I think this sign is new since my last visit. Who would think of moving the newts (red outline added by me)!? (every 12 year old boy that's who)

This visit I started my walk from a slightly different spot, it's good to change things up.

Oxydendrum arboreum, the sourwood tree.

I've read it's the leaves that have a sour taste and give this tree it's common name. I know it for its yellow seeds and vibrant fall foliage.

A sunny day with a low sun-angle makes for very challenging photography.

This area with troughs from Berry Botanic Garden (a local botanic garden that has been shuttered for many years) seemed more cared for than in the past.

Although the troughs could still use a little more love.

I wonder why "The Berry Botanic Garden" is no longer legible at the bottom of the signage?

I don't remember seeing this fern on previous visits, interesting. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I have an idea, maybe a little guerrilla gardening? (hmm...) I hope it lives.

I love this view. Maybe not the best day to photograph it though.

Monkey puzzle! (Araucaria araucana)

Cyclamen hederifolium

Next up that afternoon, Portland's Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, I'd never before visited, so it was time.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a feeling this was more of a park-like setting than a botanic garden, and that was definitely the case.

Old rhododendron legs...

And a bit of history...

"Here in the charm of this exquisite garden living beauty may ever dwell in full glory..." the beginnings of the garden date to 1950 and it seems to have earned the blessing of the American Rhododendron Society.

Did I mention what a beautiful day it was?

Muskrat? Nutria? I'm not sure but I'm leaning towards Nutria.

Mr. Duck giving me the side-eye for disturbing its nap.

I do love a weeping willow, especially one water-side.

Opuntia! That's unexpected.

I looked around for an Agave but did not spot one.

I saw the fruit laying around before the foliage. I know Gingko fruit has a stinky reputation, I didn't detect an odor but also didn't pick any up to get closer, and was careful not to step on it.

Ferns growing out of a rock wall are *almost* as good as agaves growing out of a rock wall.

Adiantum aleuticum var. subpumilim, maybe?

This wall and its fern inhabitants might be my favorite feature of the garden.

Asplenium scolopendrium, the Hart's-tongue fern

Will I return to the CSRG? Maybe. It's a little more challenging to visit than Elk Rock, in that there's a very small parking lot and an admission fee.

Still, I suppose I'll need to return in the springtime, to really give it a proper look over. It did make a nice place to wander on an unusually warm autumn day.

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All material © 2009-2026 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.