8 Botanical Gardens to Explore in Arizona

Checkout places to visit in Arizona

Arizona

Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union. It is known for its desert climate, with very hot summers and mild winters. There are so many attractions in and around Arizona state.

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Botanical Gardens to Explore in Arizona

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

This is Arizona's oldest and largest botanical garden is located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. Founded in 1924 as a desert plant research facility and “living museum”, the arboretum is located in the Sonoran Desert on 392 acres Over 2600 species of arid land plants from around the world grow at the arboretum.

Desert Botanical Garden

Desert Botanical Garden is a 140-acre botanical garden located in Papago Park, at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway in Phoenix, central Arizona. Founded by the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society in 1937 and established at this site in 1939, the garden now has more than 50,000 plants, in more than 4,000 taxa, one-third of which are native to the area, including 379 species, which are rare, threatened or endangered.

Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix

Ro Ho En, the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, is a Japanese stroll garden located at 1125 N. 3rd Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona. The garden encompasses 3.5 acres and includes a tea garden and tea house. It is a joint project of the sister cities of Phoenix, Arizona, and Himeji, Japan.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a U.S. national monument and UNESCO biosphere reserve located in extreme southern Arizona that shares a border with the Mexican state of Sonora. The park is the only place in the United States where the organ pipe cactus grows wild.

Tohono Chul

A botanical garden, nature preserve and cultural museum located in Casas Adobes, a suburb of Tucson, Arizona. The mission of Tohono Chul is to connect people with the wonders of nature, art and culture in the Sonoran Desert region and inspiring wise stewardship of the natural world.

Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights

Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights is a historic landmark in Phoenix, Arizona. The castle was built in the early 1900s by Alessio Carraro. It was inspired by the architecture of his homeplace in Italy and the castle was originally designed to be a hotel centrepiece of a planned resort. But it became a private residence soon after its construction in 1931. The castle sits atop a hill in the middle of a barren desert and is surrounded by cacti gardens.

Tucson Botanical Gardens

The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a 5.5-acre collection of sixteen residentially scaled urban gardens in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Paths connect these gardens, which include a Zen Garden, a Prehistoric Garden, a Barrio Garden, a Butterfly Garden, a Xeriscape Garden, and a Children’s Garden.

Wallace Desert Garden

This beautiful desert garden offers expansive views, creekside trails, and hundreds of plants brand-new to BTA. At 13 acres and with more than 5,000 new plantings, the addition of the Wallace collection moves Boyce Thompson Arboretum into the top tier of botanical gardens around the world. The main trail is wheelchair accessible.

Map of Botanical Gardens to explore in Arizona