The connection between plants and people is rich and deep in the Americas and there’s no better place to see that relationship than at the Garden. In the fall, the Garden is hosting several events that recognizes unique cultural celebrations in the Americas while fusing peoples’ love for plants.
This fall, Desert Botanical Garden will celebrate the cultures, traditions, people and of course the variety of plants that make up the Americas. More than 30 countries comprise what is known as the Americas, a rich landmass home to a billion people, a wealth of history and art, as well as the cactus family. Cactus are native to the Americas, including prickly pear cactus species — some that can withstand the snowy winters in parts of Canada, the iconic saguaro cactus of the hot Sonoran Desert and the ashylooking Copiapoa genus from the dry coastal deserts of Chile.
From September 24-November 13 families can get an up-close and unforgettable experience when monarchs and other native Southwestern butterflies return for our Fall Butterfly Exhibit. Get acquainted with thousands of butterflies, observe each stage of their life cycle and learn what actions we can take to protect them.
On October 1-2 , the Garden will host a colorful celebration of Guelaguetza, an indigenous cultural event put on every year in Oaxaca, Mexico. Immerse yourself in art, music, dance and enjoy the flavors of Oaxaca. Guests also can dance along a colorful parade of dancers called Calenda throughout the Garden.
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The Garden is excited to bring back Día de Muertos . The two-day festival will feature an immense community altar designed by Oaxacan artist Rufina Ruiz López for guests to honor a loved one with orange Mexican marigolds and an interactive virtual photograph experience. Visitors can join La Procesión. Día de Muertos runs October 29-30.
The celebration continues with the return of Chiles & Chocolate on November 11-13. Experience the prefect recipe for a sweet and spicy weekend by sampling gourmet chocolates and flavorful sauces.
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Desert Sol | Oct. 11 & Nov. 9 Strange Garden | Oct. 21-22Fall Plant Sale | Oct. 20-23
Music in the Garden | Sept. 30 - Nov. 18
Several fall favorites are returning including:
On November 19-20: Viva Las Americas is a new Garden festival that celebrates the rich cultural diversity of North and South American countries. This two-day festival will feature music and dance from a variety of regions of the Americas. Experience hip-hop beats, the sway of bachata music, capoeira and samba. Savor a variety of culinary flavors that celebrates the cultural diversity of North and South American countries.
Dog Days | Oct. 1 – Nov. 19
Lotería Nights | Oct. 6 & Nov. 3
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Born in 1938 near the Baltic Sea in RerikWustrow, Germany, Rotraut Uecker found inspiration in the natural world and the galaxy at a very young age. Today, the part-time Valley resident explores a playful exposition of colors in her large-scale sculptures that are meant to connect people with her perception of the cosmos.
Rotraut’s first sculptures unintentionally came about from one of her paintings where she discovered the figurative expression of life, energy and motion— a connection between her inner-terrestrial grounding and the heavenly canopy. Her work has been displayed in numerous galleries and museums, including in London, Paris, San Francisco and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Internationally acclaimed artist Rotraut brings her nature-inspired large-scale sculptures and vibrant paintings to Desert Botanical Garden Oct. 7, 2002May 14, 2023. Rotraut’s artwork takes inspiration from the human subconscious and explores the relationship between the sky, sun and universe.
Visitors can experience Rotraut’s dynamic forms at the Garden this season. Rotraut finds the desert to be “a place of spirituality, where the power of the elements, the landscapes, plants and flowers create a microcosmos.” The exhibit includes twelve outdoor installations, as well as several pieces inside the Ottosen Gallery.
Elaine McGinn, the Garden’s Chief Experience Officer
“We are delighted to bring Rotraut’s artwork to the Garden. Her pieces are full of life and interweave so beautifully with the desert landscape, which is a continuous source of inspiration for Rotraut,”
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Saguaro Census Findings
Census in May 2022, residents, community scientists and volunteers added 8,497 observations, more than doubling the saguaro (Carnegia gigantea) observations to 12,593. A high volume of observations made in North Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler.
Before the Saguaro Census project, there were 4,096 total saguaros observed in metro Phoenix for all time on ThroughiNaturalist.theSaguaro
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Many thanks to Jeny Davis, EcoFlora Coordinator
More than 300 Valley residents and volunteers participated in the Saguaro Census in May. With the support of the community, the Garden documented more than 1,000 observations of saguaros with damage, which includes rot, sun scorch, freeze and human damage. There were 2,283 saguaros documented in residential areas, 570 in commercial lots, 350 by roadsides and 125 in public areas like libraries. The size of each saguaro was recorded and of all saguaros observed only 212 were in the small/younger (less than 3 feet) category.” The Saguaro Census provides a current picture of saguaros growing in the city and will help with planning for the future of saguaros in urban landscapes.
The Saguaro Census is part of a larger project led by Dr. Tania Hernandez, the Garden’s New World Succulents Specialist. The project seeks to understand the biology, distribution and genetics of the urban saguaro population by comparing them with their relatives growing in the wild.
The Saguaro Census is in collaboration with the Metro Phoenix EcoFlora and the Save Our Saguaros project, led by Girl Scout Gold Award recipient Ella Werre.
The next step of the project is to take samples of residents’ saguaros. In May, the Garden received about 300 emails from Valley residents who want to volunteer their saguaros for plant research. Dr. Tania Hernandez, the Garden’s New World Succulents Specialist will randomly sample volunteers’ saguaros and compare them to saguaros living in the wild.
The Garden is excited to inspire curiosity in the desert with our educational events and offerings for all ages. Check out some of the highlights for the fall.
Reopening Oct. 1, the Garden invites kids to engage with the outdoors around them at Cactus Clubhouse–the Garden’s nature play space for kids 12 and younger. The play area provides unstructured, child-led activities to discover the fun of the natural world.
Docent Lead Tours Return | Oct. 5
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Registration is now open for Fall classes. The Garden’s Adult Education programs encourage hands-on, actionoriented lifelong learning for desert lovers and Garden enthusiasts in wellness, cooking, photography and more.
Join The Club | Oct. 1
Adult Education classes are back!
Explore the Garden with an expert who will highlight the living collection of desert plants from around the world and the Sonoran Desert. See how and why the Garden is committed to conserving these amazing organisms for generations to come. Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 9, 10, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and meet in the Cohn Tour Gathering Area.
Save THE Date! SELECT DATES DEC. 1-31 MEMBER TICKETS ON SALE OCT. 3 TICKETS AT DBG.ORG
