Instead of a beauty post, I thought I’d share some pix from our visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens in Scottsdale AZ. After a long flight to Phoenix from Boston, we picked up our rental car, checked in to our Scottsdale base of operations – Sheraton Desert Oasis Villas – and headed for the Desert Botanical Gardens.
“nothing to disclose”
Here’s a quick look at our well-appointed and comfortable villa: living room with fireplace, full kitchen, huge shower, bedroom. Plus a nice balcony overlooking a courtyard.
Can you believe the size of this jacuzzi tub? It’s in the gigantic bedroom! Gotta try it out tonight 🙂
Desert Botanical Gardens
We arrived at about 3pm, and met a couple coming out of the park who told us it was FREE DAY, the second Tuesday of the month. That saved us $44! Plus the park was open till 11pm and had a special show at night, the Munroe Light Show.
It was quite hot, and I was wearing a long sleeve black top, knee-high stockings and shoes. Our villa wasn’t ready when we arrived so we stored our luggage, and it was too much trouble to fish out my sneakers and a T-shirt. So I ended up buying a T-shirt and baseball hat at the Botanical Gardens, pricey but for a good cause and not the most flattering. But it was definitely good for the bright, hot sunshine.
The gardens are huge, with each garden loop having a specific theme. During the afternoon we walked around the Wildflower loop (the blue loop) and one of the others.
How lucky to be there when the desert flowers and cactus were in bloom.
After a couple of hours walking around in the heat, we were pooped (plus getting up at 6am and a 5+ hour flight). We went out to dinner, and fortified, we came back to the Desert Botanical Gardens for the night event. The gardens were illuminated. The cactus cast amazing shadows. And the sculpture in the park took on a totally different look with the lights at night.
The special event was made up of LED installations by Bruce Monroe that were placed within each of the loops throughout the park. The Water Towers installation had music (chanting) and the lights changed color. Each water tower was constructed of large water bottles with LED wire inside. The Phoenix area is all about saving water, and I believe they do an amazing job at it.
Unbelievably, Munroe managed to illuminated a nearby mountain. Here it is by day
and at night (sorry the photo is lousy). How did they get all the lights up there?
Here are a few other of his installations. The dome is also constructed with water bottles and LED wires.
So that was day one of our vacation. We’re heading out to hike in the mountains near our hotel, and then we go to Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Scottsdale home and school this afternoon.
Have you been to the Phoenix area? What’s your favorite thing to do there?
I must say that you and Jeff have the stamina of teenagers ! I got pooped just reading this. 😉 Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. Love the water bottles! And your room is a vacation in its self. So happy for you. Take more amazing pictures especially of the Grand Canyon. I bet sunsets there are something else. 🙂
I look at vacation as a job, Laura, lol. I love to make the most of every minute. I’ll post a few Grand Canyon pix on Saturday and write more about it in the future. It’s beyond amazing! Although it’s pretty cold here (31 degrees tonight) and it snowed for a few hours, the scenery is beyond amazing!
How BEAUTIFUL!!!! I’ve never been but it looks lovely. Thank you for the pictures,the light show looks amazing and the cactus flowers are beautiful! Enjoy your soak in that fabulous jacuzzi !!!
Thanks for reading my vacay post, Laura! I loved that botanical garden and the heat felt great. Now we’re at the Grand Canyon, and this evening it snowed! It’s 31 degrees! But the scenery is incredible. What a view!
Dang, you guys do have lots of stamina to walk around especially after travelling! I was wondering where you were because your posts weren’t regular as always so now I know. Have fun Allison!
Shireen L. Platt recently posted…Celebrate Earth Day with Arbonne SeaSource Detox Sea Mud Face & Body Mask
Shireen, I’m not big on relaxing while on vacation. I like to get in as much as possible 😉 We only have a couple of days in each of 3 locations. I know it drives Jeff crazy that I like to do so much, but he mostly goes along with it.
How beautiful! Thanks for sharing your gorgeous pictures with us.
Thanks for reading the post and looking at my travel pix, Rachel. Glad you’re doing better than you were!
I’ve been to that Botanical Garden. It was long ago in July, when I attended a conference in Phoenix. It was HOT, over 100 degrees in the sun. My companions stayed in the visitors center where it was air-conditioned, while I walked the loops and did some mind-control to get myself into enjoying the heat. It was dry, so a different animal than the heat I was used to in the Bible belt where I am from.
My best memory is of finding a clearing along the trail with benches where visitors could feed the prairie dogs. There was a little tank with food for them (put in a quarter and get a handful). I stretched out prone on a bench, stayed very very still, and put the food right on the ground next to me. The prairie dogs came up and ate while I watched, still and warmed by the glaring sun but not sweating. It was surreal.
I’m so glad you went there too, Sue! It must’ve been tough at 100 degrees but glad you got to enjoy it. We saw some squirrels that looked like prairie dogs. They were very cute. How nice that you got up close and personal with them 😉 We’re at the Grand Canyon now, and it has exceeded our expectations. Did lots of walking today, and boy was it worth it!