Chihuly in Arizona

Before I got my new knees (ten years ago!), there was a Chihuly glass exhibit at the botanical garden in St. Louis.  I wanted to go so badly, but we never did.  I just didn't want to hobble in pain, even for Chihuly.  

Last week we visited the botanical garden in Phoenix.  And YaY! Chihuly was there! 

I loved this shot--everybody everywhere was taking pictures--either with a fancy camera or with their cell phones. . .

Gorgeous.  And then we learned there were night time hours when the pieces were illuminated.  So we went back again to see. 

 More to follow . . .

DBG Continued

Just a few more pictures from the Desert Botanical Gardens. Aren't we thankful for our kitchens with running water and electricity?

Not sure what was planted in this vegetable garden, but those are some serious cages to prevent the critters from getting to the seedlings.   These sticks have thorns--also serious--to help keep the critters out too.  My mom makes garden fences with sticks from her butterfly bushes.

And like my mama's butterfly bush fences, this one has started growing. . . Instead of hills, their seedlings are planted in a  depression, then the whole garden is watered by flooding it.  I would have no idea how to grow a garden in Arizona.

Here in Illinois, the irises are blooming.  Hard to believe our gardens are on the same planet.

Butterflies

 Butterflies at the Desert Botanical Gardens.  I want to put out some slices of oranges for the butterflies this summer.  Maybe our midwest butterflies would like them too.  The red bowls in the middle had clear marbles with a little water for the butterflies to drink.

This big man had a big beard and a bigger camera.  The butterfly perched on the back of his hat made me laugh.  Mark and I are already ready to go back to Arizona.

Denver Botanical Garden

We loved the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.  So different from our midwest and southern gardens.

I've been thinking about how to put more massing in our Canada Garden. . .  And not just three of one thing. . . Maybe one plant times 25.   Why not? Well, actually, I can tell you why not.  I have a really hard time choosing just one.

No idea what this yellow blooming tree is, but I love it, especially with all the yellow cactus blooms surrounding it.

And while we might not be able to grow these kinds of plants, I could go for one of these fountains in the back yard. 

Huge aloe plant.  Huge.

The volunteers told us it's rare for this cactus to bloom. 

And rarer to see this little dude.  You'll have to look for him.  We almost missed him.

Next I'll show you pictures of the butterfly house.  Maybe I can talk Mark into putting one of those in the back yard :)