The Phoenix Traveler

When Charlie Keating opened the lush, tropical Phoenician Resort at the base of Camelback Mountain in 1988, he was respectful enough of the Sonoran Desert to maintain a bit of the land’s integrity. Salvaging a few giant saguaros and plump barrel cacti, the developer’s plan included the addition of a hidden amenity–the Cactus Garden.

Within a cliff-shaded alcove between the mountain and guestroom buildings, along the property’s northern edge, Keating’s landscapers made use of the vegetation naturally present in Arizona. They also transplanted more than 200 varieties of cacti and succulents from around the world–mostly from South America. Now a Starwood Hotels property, the resort offers free guided tours of the Cactus Garden three times a week to guests.

Take the tour, and you’ll learn why more thorns grow at the top of a Saguaro than on its body (to act as protection from animals digging into it for shelter). You’ll see unusual plant life, including the South African Zulu Giant, also known as the Carrion plant, (It’s a tiny stem-shaped succulent that grows on the ground in clusters, producing grapefruit-sized, mauve-colored star-shaped blooms.). And you may want to return on your own for the color kaleidoscope of blue, red and green that lights up the prickly space after dusk. The two-acre patch of desert scrub, small-leaf trees and granite meanders along a flagstone path north of the resort’s entrance waterfall. Just look for the steps, and watch out for rattlesnakes. For details, visit www.thephoencian.com.

Tip: You don’t have to stay overnight at the hotel to get the tour. If you make a lunch reservation, you can request a tour as well. Or, just do the self-guided one on your own.

(Pictured in the photo above is a not-too-secret amenity at the resort–a Allan Houser sculpture. It is part of one of the Southwest’s largest collections, which includes more than 11 of his works on the grounds. This particular sculpture, named Desert Harvest, is located in the center of the garden, behind the grand stairway . Photo used with permission by The Phoenician Resort.)

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