Cactus Archives - Cultivated and Wild

Gardens

Immerse Yourself in the Beauty of the Desert Botanical Garden

Deserts typically conjure images of dry, desolate places that are devoid of life but that couldn’t be further from the truth. They often contain a remarkable amount of biodiversity. Plants have developed amazing adaptations to survive in the harshest environments.

To see firsthand the beauty of the desert, you need to visit the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. The 140-acre garden resides among the red rocks and buttes of Papago Park and is home to more than 50,000 plants. You’ll see more cacti than you knew existed, as well as many different types of agaves, yuccas, and aloes. The garden is superbly designed and showcases how desert plants can be used to create spectacular gardens.

Gardens

Jardins de Cap Roig Offers Stunning Views and Botanical Beauty

Costa Brava, or the wild coast, stretches from Blanes to the French border. Like a saw blade, hundreds of tiny coves and capes mark the rugged coast and each one holds a surprise. I went to the Costa Brava searching for pristine waters, fresh seafood, and coastal trails. But I also found an unexpected botanical treasure: the Jardins de Cap Roig. Perched on cliffs that tower above the Mediterranean Sea, the botanical gardens of Cap Roig will delight garden lovers with exotic plant collections and stunning views.

Wild Spaces

Plants of Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

Deserts contain more than just sand dunes and cacti. Remarkable plant adaptations have resulted in a diverse array of habitats in the high desert of northern New Mexico. Silvery green grasses and shrubs carpet the red hills and dark evergreens punctuate the landscape surrounding Ghost Ranch. Mesas and buttes rise up from the desert floor; their crevices and nooks offering tenacious plants a home. Dark mountain vistas loom in the distance; their wetter slopes home to towering ponderosa pine. A visit to Ghost Ranch is an opportunity to explore and learn about the plants of the high desert.