Tohono Chul Park, Tucson Feb 13

Our early Valentine's Day celebration, Feb 13, 2015
We ventured into Tucson today to 2 of our favorite places- Tohono Chul  Park and Bread and Beyond sandwich shop.  Steward's Salmon Foccacia Sandwich is our all time favorite and a perfect lunch before hiking the varied landscaped environments around Tohono.   You'll remember my frequent pictures at Tohono. I love to watch the desert flowers come into bloom.  After coming here at different times during February and March I know just what flowers will bloom at which sites.  You might not care for the same pictures year after year, but that long Midwest winter makes me yearn for flowers.  So I get great delight in tracking the progress.  It will be a very long time till flowers will bloom in Wisconsin.

There is a new entrance path with new plantings

This stone wall is new.  Tucking plants in the wall is also new

There are many meeting areas throughout the park.  Educational lectures are scheduled for all ages in these little set back areas

This is the new Saguaro Path.

This saguaro's bent over top looks a little like an elephant.  The holes are bird nests

Baby saguaros nestled under a tree.

Mountain views are never far away

There is an endless variety in saguaros.  Four "arms" from 1 truck.

This regal saguaro needs a serious nickname.  I'm thinking Senor "Fan"tastic Tohono

This is the only plant like this in the whole park.  There was no label.  I will have to research.

This area of the park demonstrates how water run off is directed for irrigation.

The metal handle in the lower right can open or close a value to divert water.  The large metal pieces in the center can act as a dam.

Sculptures are placed throughout the park.  This is a close up of the hands positioned to catch rain drops.

This saguaro wins the award for having the most "arms."  It must be quite old as arms don't begin to grow until a saguaro is between 75-100 years old

Monarch butterflys are everywhere, but they seem smaller than the ones we see in Wisconsin.

This cactus is trying to run away.  A caution cone is necessary.   Those prickly spines would hurt!  .  

The Oasis Environment has a lovely spring.

We always hang out here for awhile.  It's shady and cool.

It won't be long until the entire bush will be covered in little yellow flowers

Another small waterfall.

No blooms on the columbines yet.

The red"fairy duster bush.

Another area that can be reserved for a lecture.

Silver Torch cactus

This plant is called Mother of Thousands or Maternity Plant

A close up of the blooms explains the name.

Sigh.... it won;t live very long in Wisconsin

Be patient.  It will be full of flowers soon

A new sculpture

The noble tin horse still stands in the circle.

These prickly cactus will have lovely blooms in March.  They are much to look at now

    A sleeping coyote sculpture watches over this lovely flower patch.  Home to Green Valley before the Tucson traffic rush hour.