Don't look at this picture now. Its also at the end, where it should be.
There is something about a Herbarium/Botanic Garden that is irksome to me. They just don't sound that interesting. Museums (most any kind), trains, cars, wood, telescopes... I like things. Something about the Enginerd that likes tangibles. (He who has the most toys wins!?)
Botanic gardens aren't like that. They kind of soft and fuzzy. Most of the plants don't do much but grow, bloom and die. Give me a good Venus Flytrap. It moves, It eats. Or the Little House of Horrors.
Until I get there. Then its like Wow! That's really neat! Look at those colors. Bees. Butterflies. There's all this life going on, not the least of which is creating oxygen from carbon dioxide. The plant needs the Carbon, we need the Oxide. Great balance. And I taught irrigation and drainage in the fields in Egypt. I know about this stuff. And people work hard to make sense out of it all. I just don't get it until I get there!
We walked through the ticket gate and to the first area to the right. It is the Spanish-Moorish Garden. I walk in and, even though there are just a few pillars and no lions, I am reminded of walking into the Court of the Lions in the Alhambra.
The Court of the Lions, Alhambra, Granada, Spain
OK, they don't look exactly alike, or maybe even not close, but that's what hit me. (Power of suggestion from the "Spanish-Moorish Garden" name, right?) But I was hooked.
This is a two level trickle fountain. The upper plant looks like rushes I remember from Houston (which is further south than Granada) and the lower plant looks like sage. But the blossoms in this plant were eye-catching! Delicate little things that yelled out to you.
Walking a little further, we come to the cactus garden which, despite being in Albuquerque, is inside two buildings. You'd think that those could be outside... oh well. And as you walk in the door, you see
Yeah, color! Not everything in the Cactus Buildings look like green, sticky outlaws being held up, i.e., Saguaro Cactus.
In fact, the variety is remarkable! Here is an asparagus plant that I could like, Thread Agave.
Tequila, Anyone?
And I think my favorite cactus,
Bunny Ears. They look nice and cuddly, don't they? Peter Cottontail or Bugs Bunny?
Being almost October, its time for fall Pumpkins and Red Chili Peppers!
In the Japanese Garden.
Thanks for convincing me to come.
But by this time, Liz was getting a little "Prickly", so it was time to "Barrel" out of there for a "cooling libation" at the Tractor Brewery. I don't want to say "a cool beer", because Liz and Tyler are having a some kind of cactus or red pepper cider.
I had my stout, thank you very much.
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