Wow. Just wow. I had spent a weekend in Sedona and hiked around in the Salt River area before I decided to check out the Desert Botanical Garden on one of my last days in Arizona. Admittedly, I'm a garden lover, but I thought I had already seen a lot of the incredible Arizona landscape. The DBG truly outshined my expectations. Many of the cacti were in bloom (hint: March through May, many of the rarer blooms have opened so that's the optimal time to go.) and I also enjoyed the Desert Wildflower collection and butterfly exhibit. I easily spent 3-4 hours walking the trails, reading about the desert plant life and soaking up the hot Phoenix sun. I also visited the Patio Cafe and Gertrude's at the beginning and end of my tour and was impressed by the delicious food and drinks. $22 is a steep price for entrance to a garden but this one did not disappoint. If I lived in Arizona I would gladly join one of the volunteer programs to support this beautiful reserve. Not to be missed, especially if you're a city girl in the desert.