Go indoors to a museum on a beautiful day like this? Hey, here we were in Tucson in December, getting away from the start of an upstate New York winter. I could not understand why Kay wanted to spend it inside. I gave in for domestic tranquility and was glad I did. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is primarily outdoors, a collection of desert flora with some fauna on the side. Desert plants hold a fascination to an Easterner. We are so accustomed to our oaks, maples, beeches and evergreens that we take them for granted. But to me, Saguaro, Cholla, and Joshua Trees are exotic. This museum is a magnificent collection of all that is unique to my eyes. There even was a young Boojum tree in bloom. Lewis Carroll would be pleased. This thing, a native of Baja California, has to be seen to be believed. It would feel right at home in a science fiction movie taking place on some strange planet in a far off galaxy. Here you can see the top of another one, trying to hide.
There are over a thousand different varieties of plants. A couple of hundred mammals and reptiles give it a zoo-like side effect. We spent the better part of a day there, including lunch which is available in the museum. Pick a cool winter day and plan on spending it here. Although the museum is a desert environment, unless you are native to the desert, summer heat could cut a visit short.
.
Especially when backlit, a Cholla cactus looks soft and fuzzy. Don't back into it though
We did not get a chance to see the desert at night, perhaps next time.
Plan a visit to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum this fall.
For a wealth of gardening articles try this link to 33 of them, from Adventures in Daylilies to Weeds and Wild Things.