An Afternoon at the Desert Botanical Gardens at Papago Park, Phoenix

An afternoon spent at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix at Papago Park was delightful. 

A beautiful spring day at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix

My mother, our friend, Wilma, and I spent a wonderful three or four hours in the sunshine and fresh air, taking in the desert scenery.  

Barn's Butte at Papago Park

Wilma volunteers as a docent at the gardens. She led us on a spirited tour through the wildflowers and cactus. We saw so much to inspire and awe, and might have spent another day or two to see the rest of it. 

Our intrepid guide, Wilma

The Butterfly Pavillion is open until the first week in May. Dozens of beautiful specimens happily flutter about an enclosed garden going about their business little noticing the camera-mad public in their lives.

A Buckeye Butterfly on a bright yellow columbine

This Giant Swallowtail finds the red petunias alluring

Having grown up in Phoenix, the Sonoran desert is a familiar landscape to me, but I was very excited to see desert plants from Mexico such as the Creeping Devil cactus and the Boojum Tree.

The creepy Creeping Devil cactus from Mexico

The exotic Boojum Tree

You may click to enlarge the above photos

The exotic Boojum Tree