Grab Life By the Thorns: Check out This Unique Palm Springs Botanical Garden

Garden Variety

I’ll start by saying botanical gardens are kinda my thing. Well, one of my things. My parents ran a landscaping business for almost 40 years and are both experts on horticulture, so a love of plants was instilled in me at a young age. Now in my 30s, I still can’t get enough of plants. My yard and garden are a trove of exciting, unique and carefully selected plant varieties, providing visual interest in every season. Many are great conversation starters, whether by appearance or name. Inside the house is no escape, as I am constantly running out of space for indoor specimens. A common back-and-forth at home goes something like this:

Wife: You already have so many plants.

Me: But I don’t have *this* plant!

So naturally while traveling, botanical gardens jump out as an interesting place to visit; no two are ever the same, and I marvel at the variety of plants, especially over varied climates and terrain. And in case any marriage counselors are reading, my wife actually enjoys visiting them as well.

From Cop to Cactus

With all this in mind, I’ve never set foot in a place quite like the Moorten Botanical Garden in Palm Springs. Sure it has winding paths and over 3000 plant varieties from all around the world, in sizes from miniature to giant. But the major element that makes Moorten unique is that the primary plant media are cacti and related desert varieties, self-described as a “living museum of desert lore…[with] something of interest for everyone…”

Moorten Botanical Garden has called Palm Springs home since 1938, founded by Chester “Cactus Slim” Moorten and his wife Patricia, and now run by their son Clark. The historical account provided by the garden is that Chester was an original Keystone Cop as well as a stand-in for Howard Hughes, and developed a side hobby of cactus-collecting while living near Joshua Tree to recover from tuberculosis. As he and Patricia honed their horticultural knowledge and design skills, high society took notice. They eventually worked on personal garden designs for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Walt Disney, who even selected them to work on the plans for Frontierland at Disneyland. With the botanical garden, their aim was to “share the beauty and extraordinary varieties of desert plants with everyone who visits.”

Dine In and Take Out

Today, dozens of guests arrive daily to wander the paths. Some might be garden geeks like me, while others are just looking for a scenic place to wander, or maybe were dragged there by someone else. Regardless, it is hard to imagine perusing the gardens and not feeling a sense of awe and amazement, especially when entering the world’s first “cactarium,” home to some of the most remarkable desert plants I have ever seen.

After your garden walk, you are sure to be tempted to buy a cactus of your own from their nursery. The decision is sure to be difficult, with dozens of take-home options available, each with their own unique beauty and interest. Sizes range from standard nursery pots down to 2” mix-and-match succulents.

If home is an airplane ride away, TSA does allow plants in both carry-on and checked bags; take care to pack them well to protect delicate parts. Just be aware of any applicable state regulations when taking plants home. Also, try to remember you have one in your bag so you don’t get pricked when you grab your backpack after landing. Don’t ask me how many times I’ve managed to poke myself around cacti.

Before You Go

Though the garden looks small at first glance, plan at least an hour to give yourself ample time to take everything in. Even at a leisurely pace, you’re sure to miss something. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children 5-15. Check their website for hours, events and other information.

Moorten Botanical Garden is located at 1701 South Palm Canyon Drive, just south of where Route 111B turns east, about 2 miles south of downtown Palm Springs.