The Living Desert's Annual Plant Sale

The Living Desert's annual fall plant sale takes place this weekend so Kirk and I headed over there yesterday after the eventful morning on El Paseo. We'd breakfasted at the newly-opened Italian-themed cafe, Il Sogno, where we spied a favorite artist in town from Flagstaff. Connie Townsend, an artist who specializes in animal portraits, had just delivered new canvases to her desert gallery, The Christopher Morgan Gallery, a few doors up the boulevard.

Contentedly stuffed with quiche and coffee and glowing from the unexpected artist rendez-vous, Kirk and I continued our memorable outing at The Living Desert, located just a few blocks north of El Paseo. The wildlife and botanical park, founded in 1970 by Karen Sausman, straddles both Palm Desert and Indian Wells and features the flora and fauna of the world's distinctive desert regions—from the Colorado (our Coachella Valley), Mojave and Sonoran regions all the way to the other side of the world to the Sahara and Madagascar.

Regarding the latter, yesterday's LA Times ran a front-page story detailling the heartbreaking demise of the unique island due to forest destruction, climate change and now drought-induced famine.

In light of the seeming inexorable self-destruction of our fragile planet, The Living Desert's robust species protection program offers a slim ray of hope that desert animals will not go extinct in our lifetime. The 30-year result is a world-class desert conservation and education facilty.

 

But, I digress. Back to happier subjects. The Palo Verde Nursery offers the most comprehensive array of desert-thriving plants and has been our go-to venue when the paltry and often inappropriate offerings at Lowe's and Home Depot are dispiriting. Glenn Huntington, horticulturist and manager, can always be counted on for expert planting advice.

Once a year all plants, pots and gifts are reduced 20%. Kirk and I surveyed the well-stocked aisles and happily found a few plants new to us. Our goal was to find replacements for those plants which succumbed to the summer's brutal temps.

 

 

 

 

The gardens are always fun but this year Glenn has wrought a magical transformation with the addition of strategically-placed niger-filled socks. Hordes of tiny yellow-breasted verdins, not much bigger than hummingbirds, now swoop in to devour their favorite seed, constantly scattering and regrouping, filling the sky with color and sound. It's llike being in a giant atrium without the walls. Truly mesmerizing.

 

 

 

 

 

After Kirk and I selected our new plants, we did a quick stroll around the grounds, savoring the warm autumn sun on our shoulders and exploring  the many tempting dirt paths veering off the paved road. As long-time members, we can enter the zoological park whenever we wish but don't go nearly enough. The Eisenhower Peak Loop commences here, near the Desert Bighorn Sheep mountain, and I'll be crossing off that 6-mile trail later this season.

 

Here is a new garden featuring varieties of barrel cacti. I was especially pleased with how this photo turned out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is part of the Colorado Desert scape, replete with my favorite desert plant, the Ocotillo, a flamboyant flourish of spiny fronds that erupt in orange flowers during the spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I love about The Living Desert is its continual emphasis on growth. Each year brings new exhibits, large and small, and the level of charitable support is truly inspiring. There is a veritable army of volunteers, from docents to animal care. I volunteered here years ago, feeding and cleaning the hooved animals in the African section. But, that's another story!

 

Docent Maggie is holding Chollo, an African Hedgehog. The tiny creature had been rudely awakened from his normal daytime slumber and was a little grumpy to find himself on display.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every time I visit, I mentally chide myself for not coming more often. Members are accorded early-morning entry as well, perfect for peaceful hiking and experiencing the animals during their feeding time.

A garden staffer nicely brought our plant wares to the front curb for us and home we went to introduce the foliage to their new La Quinta home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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