Press-Releases

The Desert Botanical Garden announces the return of its popular summer Flashlight Tours. Flashlight Tours are held Thursdays and Saturdays from May 30 – August 31, 2013. All tours begin at 7:00 p.m. Flashlight Tours are included with Garden membership or with paid Garden admission.

500+ Public Gardens Join Nationwide Join the American Public Gardens Association and Rain Bird In Celebrating an Annual Day of Awareness That Honors the Role Public Gardens Play in Promoting Plant and Water Conservation, Education and Environmental Leadership

The Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society (CACSS) Show and Sale returns to the Desert Botanical Garden, Friday, April 5 –  Sunday, April 7, 2013. Visitors will see amazing, beautiful and bizarre examples of cacti and succulents as members of the CACSS display potted specimens of desert plants from around the world. 

The Desert Botanical Garden’s Wildflower Info Site returns to provide up-to-date reports on desert wildflower blooms in central and southern Arizona.  The site, a collaborative effort by 21 parks and gardens, is live during the months of March and April at www.dbg.org/wildflowers.

The Garden’s popular Spring Butterfly Exhibit in the Marshall Butterfly Pavilion returns for its 11th year during the months of March, April and May. The Spring Butterfly Exhibit is open March 2 – May 12, 2013.  Hours are 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Visitors can expect to see hundreds of butterflies housed in a spacious 36-by-80-foot flight enclosed lush garden that recreates a habitat most appealing to these fragile fliers.

Gertrude’s, the much-anticipated full-service restaurant at the Desert Botanical Garden, opened late January 2013. Reservations can be made through Open Table (www.opentable.com) or by calling Gertrude’s at 480.719.8600. Garden admission is not required to dine at Gertrude’s. Hours are Monday – Sunday from 8a–9p.

Agave on the Rocks returns to the Desert Botanical Garden on Friday, March 22, 2013, with Southwestern and Mexican fare prepared by renowned Valley chefs, an eclectic mix of Latin inspired music and of course, margaritas.

The Desert Botanical Garden is proud to bring another season of spectacular talent to the Music in the Garden Spring concert series. Situated at the base of a saguaro-lined butte Music in the Garden pairs great live local bands with the most enchanting venue in the Valley.  

Every Saturday in March, Scottsdale Artists League members will paint the beauty of the Desert Botanical Garden and present their work at the final sale and show April 5, 6, and 7, 2013.

Visit the Desert Botanical Garden’s Annual Spring Plant Sale to view the largest variety of desert-adapted plants in one location.  The plant sale is open to the general public on Saturday, March 16 from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Breakfast with the Butterflies returns to delight children and adults alike.  This wonderful event provides parents and children an opportunity to participate in a family activity celebrating the start of spring and the opening of the Spring Butterfly Exhibit.

Go Daddy received the Desert Botanical Garden’s Spirit of Philanthropy Award presented November 7 at the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Philanthropy Awards Dinner.

Desert Botanical Garden celebrates the most romantic day of the year with Romance in the Garden, a special concert on Ullman Terrace featuring Chris Burton Jácome Flamenco Ensemble.  Chris replaces the previously announced performer, Dennis Rowland, is unable to perform due to an illness. 

Desert Botanical Garden’s Corks & Cactus returns in 2013 as a two-day festival on Saturday, February 23, 2013 and Sunday, February 24, 2013 from 1-5 p.m.  Corks & Cactus is the Garden’s premier wine event where guests can sample a variety of wines from different regions of the world and to talk with representatives from the different wineries.

The Desert Botanical Garden presents its annual Music in the Garden Winter Concert Series 2013. Visitors can enjoy an array of musical styles including Blues, Jazz, Flamenco and Soul.  

Gertrude’s, the much-anticipated restaurant at the Desert Botanical Garden, is on track to open January 2013. Gertrude’s will offer the Desert Botanical Garden members, patrons and general public a fresh new food experience focusing on ingredients directly from the farm and pasture to the plate.

The Desert Botanical Garden is pleased to present Whispers of a New World: Sculpture by Carolina Escobar. The exhibit will be on display along the Desert Discovery Loop Trail, The Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail and in Ottosen Gallery October 5, 2012 through May 27, 2013. The exhibit is included with paid Garden admission. 

Las Noches de las Luminarias, the Valley’s premier holiday event, returns for 21 nights of musical entertainment, delicious food and of course, 8,000 hand-lit luminarias. Tickets for Las Noches de las Luminarias, go on sale to the General Public Sunday, September 23, 2012. 

The Desert Botanical Garden’s Fall Plant Sale is open to the general public on Saturday, October 20 from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, October 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  There is no admission charge to enter the plant sale area, and Garden members receive a 10% discount (on plant purchases only) all weekend. 

Desert Botanical Garden will once again celebrate Dia de los Muertos with ongoing festivities, classes and exhibits. Dia de los Muertos is a colorful Mexican and Native tradition that honors and celebrates departed loved ones in a festival setting.

This fall, visit the Desert Botanical Garden for four days of pumpkin fun where children and adults alike can experience a weekend festival that brings the true feel of autumn to the desert.

Chiles & Chocolate, the Desert Botanical Gardens most popular fall festival, returns for a spicy and sweet weekend. Guests will be able to delight their taste buds with gourmet chocolates, zesty salsas and other unique southwestern treats while listening to Latin beats.

Mariposa Monarca, a live monarch butterfly exhibit, returns this fall to the Desert Botanical Garden. This exciting exhibit features hundreds of live monarch butterflies in a beautiful and lush habitat. Guests can view these delicate creatures in the Marshall Butterfly Pavilion daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, September 29 through November 25, 2012

The Desert Botanical Garden is pleased to announce a new event for dogs and their humans, Dog’s Day in the Garden. On Saturday, November 17, 2012, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., visitors can take advantage of this special opportunity to bring the whole family, dogs included.

The Desert Botanical Garden presents its annual Music in the Garden Fall Concert Series 2012. Visitors can enjoy an array of musical styles including Blues, Latin Jazz and Spanish guitar. All concerts are held outdoors on the Garden’s beautiful Ullman Terrace.  Fabulous Food serves dinner for an additional charge. 

The Desert Botanical Garden is pleased to present a monumental installation of The Four Seasons, a set of four fifteen-foot fiberglass sculptures by American artist and film-maker Philip Haas. The installation will be on display in the Garden’s Stardust Foundation Plaza from October 26, 2012 – April 28, 2013.

Ballet Arizona, in collaboration with Desert Botanical Garden, is proud to introduce: Topia, a world premiere production by Ballet Arizona’s Artistic Director Ib Andersen. Performances of Topia are scheduled for May 2 – 26, 2012 at the Desert Botanical Garden during sunset. 

The Desert Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the installation of a Wi-Fi network covering locations that are natural gathering spots within the Garden’s property. Visitors will now be access free Wi-Fi from five locations: the area in front of Admissions, the Ottosen Entry Garden, Boppart Courtyard, the Center for Desert Living Trail and Ullman Terrace.

The Desert Botanical Garden is pleased to bring to Phoenix a very special shopping experience featuring Oaxacan carvings by acclaimed artisan, Jacobo Angeles Ojeda and fine Mexican ceramics by Mata Ortiz master, Jorge Quintana. The Trunk Show will take place in the Binns Wildflower Pavilion at Desert Botanical Garden Saturday and Sunday, March 31 & April 1, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Garden Membership or paid Garden admission is required to attend the Trunk Show.

Desert Botanical Garden’s popular Avant-Garden series returns to Thursday nights this winter and spring to celebrate the Design for a Living World exhibit. Avant-garden will think globally and celebrate locally as Boppart Courtyard transforms into one of the destinations featured in the exhibit.

March, April and May events open to the public.

Ballet Arizona and Desert Botanical Garden are proud to present the Arizona premiere of MOMIX: Botanica. This unique show will be performed at the historic Orpheum Theater on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 8 p.m.; and on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Get ready to “Celebrate the Source” by indulging in a creative connection between our daily lives and natural materials at the Design for a Living World exhibition beginning January 16, 2012. The Nature Conservancy and the Desert Botanical Garden bring this world-renowned exhibition to Phoenix following successful stints in New York City and Chicago. Design for a Living World will have you wondering where the cotton for our shirts and the beans from our coffee come from.

The Desert Botanical Garden presents its annual Music in the Garden Winter Concert Series 2012. Visitors can enjoy an array of musical styles including Blues, Jazz, Flamenco and Soul.  All concerts are held outdoors on the Garden’s newly renovated Ullman Terrace.

The Desert Botanical Garden goes incognito with it’s first ever masquerade ball, Moonlight Masquerade, celebrating David Roger’s Big Bugs exhibit.

The Desert Botanical Garden is presenting a series of bug related movies to celebrate David Roger’s Big Bugs exhibit.  The movies will be shown under the stars on Boppart Courtyard and are free for Members and children under three, and included with paid Garden admission for the General Public.

A special brunch for families to celebrate David Roger’s Big Bugs and the Fall Butterfly Exhibit. Guests will enjoy a delicious catered breakfast followed by children’s crafts, activities, and entertainment.

Desert Botanical Garden’s popular Avant-Garden returns this fall to celebrate David Roger’s Big Bugs exhibit. Avant-garden brings the unique culture of Phoenix to center stage. Each week different vendors, presenters and performers showcase their talents and demonstrate the energy of our community.

Las Noches de las Luminarias, the Valley’s premier holiday event, returns for 22 nights of musical entertainment, delicious food and of course, 8,000 hand-lit luminarias. Tickets for Las Noches de las Luminarias, go on sale to the General Public Friday, September 23, 2011.  Garden Members will be able to purchase tickets beginning September 9, 2011.

(Phoenix, AZ)  The Desert Botanical Garden is currently recruiting energetic volunteers to share desert knowledge and transform the experience of the Garden visitor into one of discovery and meaning.

The Desert Botanical Garden’s Fall Plant Sale is open to the general public on Saturday, October 15 from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, October 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  There is no admission charge to the plant sale area, and Garden members receive a 10% discount (on plant purchases only) all weekend.

September, October & November events open to the public.

Desert Botanical Garden announces 2011-2012 concerts, events, exhibits and festivals.

June, July and august events open to the public.

Desert Botanical Garden introduces Avant-Garden, a new Thursday night community event for spring. Avant-Garden presents the sights, sounds and flavors of Phoenix. Each week, different unique aspects of our community are showcased against the backdrop of the beautiful Desert Botanical Garden. Fashion, art, music and cuisine come together to create an event like no other.

The Desert Botanical Garden is proud to present Mother’s Day Jazz Brunch featuring the Great Ladies of Jazz: Margo Reed, Nancy Gee, Sherry Roberson and Delphine Cortez. Four great Jazz singers with their own unique styles, will bring mother’s and families classic Jazz and songs from the Great American Songbook.

A Desert Illuminated, Photography by John Schaefer, an exhibition of 30 photographs of cactus flowers of the Southwest, will be displayed in the Ottosen Gallery from February 25 – May 27, 2011.  The exhibit is free for members and included with paid Garden admission.

Ludvic: Steel Jam Sculptures in the Garden, an exhibition of sculpture by artist Ludvic, will be installed on the Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail from November 19, 2010 through May 31, 2011. The exhibition will include twelve of Ludvic’s new works — stunning and colorful sculptures, created from the discarded material of society. The exhibit is free for members and included with paid Garden admission.

Chiles & Chocolate, one of the Desert Botanical Gardens most popular fall festival, expands to include Friday afternoon to get your weekend off to a sweet and spicy start.   Guests will enjoy the sweet life while spending an afternoon – or a weekend – sampling their way through the outdoor beauty of one of Phoenix’s natural gems.

Experience Día de los Muertos, a colorful Mexican and Native tradition that honors and celebrates departed loved ones in a festival setting. Enjoy entertainment that will bring the history of this holiday to life via song, dance and storytelling.

The Desert Botanical Garden announces the 9th annual Great Pumpkin Festival scheduled for October 21 - 22, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and October 23 - 24, 2010 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Artist Gwynn Popovac’s Biomythic Masks will be on display in Ottosen Gallery in Dorrance Hall from October 1, 2010 through January 2, 2011. Each mask blends the textures, shapes and hues of natural habitats such as deserts, wetlands and tide pools with human features. These intricate three dimensional masks incorporate a variety of man-made and found objects such as wire, plaster, beads, fabric and stones.

Explore your inner beer connoisseur at Beer Garden, where you can sip, savor and discuss some of the finest craft beers in Arizona and beyond. The Desert Botanical Garden provides an exquisite backdrop for you to sample a selection of premier brews along the Garden trails.

The Desert Landscaper School at Desert Botanical Garden is now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 school year, which commences the week of September 8, 2010.  The program is a 30-week course and classes meet once a week.  Classes are offered in English and Spanish.