When I first flew into Phoenix, over 30 years ago, I remember looking out of the plane window and thinking—argh, what a colorless, god-forsaken place this is!  Keep in mind that I was transplanting myself from the lush, damp state of Louisiana to the arid Arizona desert. 

Thankfully, I discovered how wrong I was. The desert is filled with color, life, and diversity. Enter Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, the oldest, and largest botanical garden in Arizona.

The arboretum, established in the 1920s, was a legacy of Col. Boyce Thompson, copper mining magnate, investor and philanthropist. It became a state park in 1976. The 323 acres feature desert plants and habitats from around the world, as well as captivating vistas, a desert lake, specialty gardens and a hidden canyon.  

BTW, after our arboretum walk, we continued up highway 60 to Superior/Globe, passing some of the largest copper mines in the world. But, let's save that for another day.