Our arrival at Desert Botanical Garden was close to sunset. I was told that was the ideal time to visit because there's a light show at night where the desert and plants are lit up and magically dance to music. That is, the lights dance, not the actual plants. Being from Canada I ignorantly thought a cactus is a cactus. Not so! I got a chance to learn about the plants from all over.

During the visit we explored some fascinating trails. The Desert Discovery Trail features plants from all over the world. The Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Trail showcases plants used for nourishment, cultural activities and tools. The Sonoran Desert Nature Trail shows the relationship between plants and animals. The Center for Desert Living Trail outlines ways to live with nature. If you know very little (or nothing) about plants, you'll have a head full of knowledge as you wander around the garden grounds.

There are over 50,000 plants, some of them towering over the guests in the garden. I was happy to get up close but hesitant to touch any of them. Ouch! But it's not all cactus throughout the trails, there are plenty of flowers to add brightness and scent to the tour.