Conservation, Education and Beauty
What goes better with Mother’s Day and Spring than flowers? To experience some of the best flowers and plants in the region, check out Arizona’s national public gardens. While many gardens are open year-round, this weekend (May 9) is National Public Gardens Day.
This photo of Tohono Chul Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Traditionally held the Friday before Mother’s Day, National Public Gardens Day is a chance to explore a region’s natural beauty and to learn a bit more about how the nation’s public gardens and arboreta promote stewardship of the land and water around us.
Participating Arizona Public Gardens
To celebrate the day, a number of public gardens offer reduced admission and special programs. This year, five of the state’s public gardens are participating, including Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix), and Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Tuscon). Both gardens were named by The Active Times as “One of the 30 Must-See U.S. Gardens.”
Desert Botanical Garden
1201 N. Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Discover desert succulents and wildflowers plus, some surprises from glass artist, Dale Chihuly.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2021 N. Kinney Road
Tucson, AZ 85743-8918
Ranked by TripAdvisor.com as one of the Top 10 Museums in the World.
This photo of Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Arboretum at Flagstaff
4001 South Woody Mountain Road
Flagstaff, AZ 86005
Specializing in native plants of North Arizona’s high desert.
Tohono Chul Park
7366 N. Paseo del Norte
Tucson, AZ 85704
Named one of the World’s Great Botanical Gardens by Travel + Leisure Magazine, and one of Tucson’s best kept secrets.
Tucson Botanical Gardens
2150 N. Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ 85712
“A tranquil oasis in the heart of Tucson,” and an example of what a small public garden can be.
To take advantage of the event specials, please visit the
National Public Garden Day website
and search for participating gardens near you.
Other Public Gardens Around Arizona
The Rose Garden at Mesa Community College
1833 W. Southern Avenue
Mesa, AZ 85202
Desert Southwest’s largest rose garden, with more than 9,000 rose bushes.
Wallace Desert Gardens
30600 North Pima Road #56
Scottsdale, AZ 85266
Cultivated and natural spaces, flanked by Wallace Desert Preserve — 78 acres of protected desert and hiking trails.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
37615 Hwy. 60
Superior, AZ 85173-5100
University of Arizona Campus Arboretum
University Of Arizona
101 Herring Hall
Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
A living laboratory promoting stewardship and conservation of urban trees.
Leave a Reply