Arizona
Gardens - An Historical Vignette
Arizona, rough hewn from the native rock is a gem
among the older states of our great nation.
The first European settlers, many of them gold-seekers,
arrived in Arizona leading their pack animals through
the tall native grass. In their saddle bags and tool boxes
were many seeds, roots and vines. Corn and beans were
supplied by the native Indians of southern Arizona for
food. Explorers have discovered seeds of corn, beans,
and watermelon in the ancient cliff dwellings of northern
and central Arizona. Early Morman settlers apparently
worked hard to perpetuate and preserve rare prehistoric
seeds found in caves, such as those from ancient varieties
of watermelon.
For those who think that there's not much to see in a
desert, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona,
will surprise you. One of the 12 botanical gardens accredited
by the American Association of Museums, this amazing botanical
garden is one of the best places in America to view a
wide range of plants that thrive in parched conditions.
It also showcases the incredible ways in which these plants
survive in the harshest conditions. For example, to help
retain moisture during the scorching heat of summer, the
ocotillo drops the green leaves clustering along its thin,
spiny limbs, only growing new leaves when the weather
cools down.
Bibliography
and Acknowledgments
Shown: Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea
gigantea) and other plants
