Boyce Thompson Arboretum

On Monday, March 26 we took a drive out toward Superior for a visit to Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  We were told about this place the first year we were down here and made 3 visits that first year and one visit last year.  If you want to see every type of desert plant as well as birds and various other wildlife all in one place Boyce Thompson is the place to go.  Its $12.50 for admission but $30 gets you an annual membership and its good for 12 months from the date of purchase.  We decided to get the Annual pass so when we are back next year we can visit as many times as we want at no additional cost.   This time of year the plants are starting to bloom and I got some very colourful shots. 

The icing on the cake, or in our case the Ketchup on the Fries, for any visit to Boyce Thompson is lunch in Superior at Porters.  The best burgers 'n fries around.  

Lots of pics so lets get to it.  

The entrance to BTA with, of course, a gift shop.

Monkshood Cactus.  

Lots of hummingbirds.
Get to close and you get dive bombed.

The plant with the mauve flowers, almost like a lilac, was a Mescal Bean.
Not sure abut the plant with the red berries. 

This is a meditation garden.  Very peaceful. 

The flowers on these barrel cactus are just starting to bloom

Fresh shoots are sprouting from what appeared to be dead log. 

Plenty of wasps swarming this mass of flowers.
Almost look like little bananas. 

This tree was just a mass of blooms

Huge black Bee pollinating the flowers on this Mescal Bean tree.  

A great backdrop to the valley containing BTA.

They have a section called the Outback which
contains many plants native to Australia.
On the Walkabout trail they have a replica of an old Drovers cabin. 

Looks pretty rustic

I always smile when I see a grouping of barrel cactus.
They just look so cute and happy all clustered together. 

A big pond is home to many turtles, fish and birds.
Best to be here real early to catch the morning activity.  

Cactus have some very beautiful flowers but this is the
largest and most dramatic flower I have ever seen on a cactus.

This looks suspiciously like one of those creatures from Star Wars.
Just a cactus covered in buds

Ocotillos' look like dead sticks most of the winter.
When they come alive they are covered in small green leaves
and have red flowers at the end of each branch.  

The original Thomson mansion sits atop the canyon walls
 and looks down into BTA.  They are working on restoring it to
previous glories but progress depends on donations.  

A creek runs through the canyon and provides a home to rich green foliage.
Quite the contrast to the canyon walls. 

Folding chairs and tables kind of ruin the shot.
Must be having a reception later today

Walkabout done.  Time for a burger, fries and a cold beer at Porters.
Another great day in the southwest.

This is new since last year.  Big screen TV, bar and round tables.
Last year is was all open with long wooden tables.
Business must be good. 

Thats it for now.  One more post before we pull out of Gold Canyon.