Colours of Boyce Thompson Arboretum

On Tuesday we made a trip to Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  It is located about 15 miles south of Gold Canyon right off of Hwy 60 and is a perfect place to see all of the desert plants in one small area.  The trails total about 3 miles with most of them being fairly wide, level and handicapped accessible.  For those familiar with Southern Manitoba think the Morden Experimental Farm or the English Gardens of Assiniboine Park.  Its a great place to snap pictures.

The plant life is so diverse that I don't think it matters what time of year you come here there will always be lots of colour.  Our plans for next year include a 4 month stay in Gold Canyon so it will be interesting to see the effects of the changing seasons on the plant life as well as the variety of the birds and butterflies which frequent the Arboretum.

A trip to the Arboretum always includes a visit to Superior and lunch at Porters.  Aesthetically its a bit of a hole in the wall but the decor is interesting and the food, particularly the hamburgers, excellent.  The beer was nice and cold which was quite refreshing after tromping around the Arboretum for 3 1/2  hours.

So here are some of the colours we spotted in our afternoon trek.  (note to self.  bring Charli next time as it is dog friendly as is Porters)

The arms are supposed to be pointed up.
Perhaps he's giving us directions.

Bishops Cap Cactus.  Aptly named. 

Dwarf Pomegranate

Strawberry Tree from the Mediterranean with a large moth drying his wings. 

These are in the process of unfurling.  Will be in full bloom in a few days. 

Sometimes there are some great shots way up overhead.
Red Gum Eucalyptus.  So big it has its own name.  Mr Big.  

Calabrian Pine

Palm Tree.  These shots show how symmetrical the tree branches are. 

In some spots the trails are so peaceful.
Lots of benches so you can sit and enjoy the tranquility. 

Doesn't get much prettier than this.  

Boyce Thompsons mansion.  Restoration is ongoing.
They have opened it up on a limited basis for tours this year.

These Saguaro's are getting some blooms. 

These cactus have their fur coats on.  All ready for winter. 

The seeds don't fall to far from home.  Cactus condo.

Meanwhile back in Manitoba...........

Our friend Don.  Not sure if he is planning a BBQ but
he is determined to get the deck cleaned off. 

Not missing this one bit.