Desert Botanical Garden

In 1939, a small group of passionate local citizens saw the need to conserve the beautiful desert environment. One was Swedish botanist Gustaf Starck, who found like-minded residents by posting a sign that read “Save the Desert.”

With the support of social influencers of the time such as Gertrude Divine Webster, the Garden’s presence grew. Nearly eight decades later, thanks to leadership and investments from many individuals, Desert Botanical Garden has blossomed from a dream into a living museum.

The Garden’s vision is to be the premier center in the world for the exhibition, research and conservation of desert plants. The Garden strives to be an indispensable resource for learning about cactus, agave and other desert plants of the Sonoran Desert and the world. Every element of the Garden reflects excellence, beauty and inspiration to transform the guest experience into one of discovery. The Garden is here to help everyone enjoy the beauty of the desert and to help them care about protecting and sustaining the natural world for the benefit of future generations.