New #13: Visit a Botanical Garden

When thinking of lush gardens, the desert is probably the last place to come to mind. In fact, my visions of the terrain didn't extend far beyond rocks, dirt and snakes. And the only foliage I could imagine were dry, prickly cacti. That's it.

But a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden proved me wrong. The 145-acre Phoenix garden was loaded with thousands of plants - many of which didn't even have thorns.

There were multiple paths leading through different kinds of greenery native to the desert. Most plants were pretty unusual, with all sorts of swirly shapes and bizarre branches that looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. The cactus garden was amazing, too, with some succulents reaching 20 feet in the air, and others sprawling out like snakes across the ground.

However, among all the alien-looking plants was a section of beautiful wildflowers. These plants erupted with rainbows of flowers, many of which looked more delicate and dainty than what you'd find in the humid tropics. There was also a butterfly pavilion with thousands of bright bugs fluttering around.

It's amazing to think any of this would be found in the dry and unforgiving desert. But I guess it goes to show beauty is all around, no matter how your garden grows.

The cacti above are called Mexican Fence Posts. Seriously. Can you spot who's hiding on the other side?