The premier collection of desert plants in the world — 140 acres of the Sonoran Desert in Papago Park with 50,000 plants representing 4,400 species, the Chihuly glass installations that have made the garden a visually extraordinary outdoor space in the Southwest, and the spring wildflower bloom (February–April) that is the signature event on the Phoenix calendar.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
The Desert Botanical Garden occupies 140 acres of Papago Park — the dramatic red sandstone buttes just east of downtown Phoenix — and holds the world's largest and finest collection of desert plants: 50,000 plants from 4,400 species, with particular depth in cacti (the largest collection in a public garden), succulents, and the endemic flora of the Sonoran Desert that surrounds Phoenix. The Chihuly: Celebrating 30 Years glass installations (Dale Chihuly's hand-blown glass sculptures installed throughout the garden in colors that complement the desert palette) have become a permanent highlight — the Sol del Citrón (a burst of golden glass in the main entrance) is the signature visual landmark of Phoenix. The spring wildflower bloom (February–April) transforms the desert floor into a carpet of poppies, lupine, and desert marigold that represents the signature visual event in the Phoenix year. Night-blooming cereus events and the Las Noches de las Luminarias (3,000+ luminarias at Christmas) are seasonal highlights.
What Stands Out
- World's finest desert plant collection — 50,000 plants, 4,400 species in 140 acres of Papago Park
- Chihuly glass installations: the signature installations in Phoenix — Sol del Citrón at the entrance
- Spring wildflower bloom February–April: the signature event on the Phoenix calendar
- Las Noches de las Luminarias at Christmas: 3,000+ luminarias, seasonal desert light experience
- Adjacent to the Phoenix Zoo and Papago Park's famous Hole-in-the-Rock formation