Get Inspired by Nature & Art | Desert Botanical Garden

OPEN DAILY 8 A.M.|7 A.M. FOR MEMBERS WED. & SUN.

This season is a special opportunity to visit and immerse yourself in nature and with Chihuly in the Desert. Take time to look closely at the spine patterns of a cactus, leaf imprints on an agave, colorful and unique shaped flowers and iridescent colors on roadrunners and hummingbirds. Explore the trails and get inspired with the diversity of patterns, color, and shapes found in nature and make comparisons with the organic and vibrant colors found in the art. 

Creative Conservation

Allow your Chihuly experience to inspire your creativity. This family-friendly activity is great for kids to build fine motor skills and learn how to repurpose every day materials into a work of art. Find out how to give an old water bottle a new life by following these steps.  

Directions:

 Step 1: Gather 20 to 30 empty plastic water bottles. 

Step 2: Get some markers, the darker the color the better because it will appear on the water bottle. 

Step 3: Remove water bottle labels.  

Step 4: Color your water bottle with your marker any way you want. 

Step 5: Once all the water bottles are colored, get scissors. 

Step 6: Begin cutting. Start at the bottom and spiral cut around the water bottle until you reach the top. It should bounce like a spring! 

Step 7: Once all of your water bottles are colored, cut about 5-6 inches of string for each water bottle. 

Step 8: Thread that string through the top nozzle and bring it to meet the other end of the string. Tie a knot with the string three times. Keep following this process until you are all out of water bottles.  

Step 9: Once you have done this to all of your bottles, cut a separate piece of string about a foot long. Make a loop with the string and tie three knots so your loop does not come apart. Then, take one of your water bottles and tie it to the loop by creating three knots. Continue to repeat this process until all of your water bottles are tied to the loop.  

Step 10: Adjust the water bottle springs to fall where you want and find a place to hang your work of art for all to admire. 

Steps
ADVANCE TICKET RESERVATIONS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR MEMBERS AND GENERAL PUBLIC
10/4: The Butterfly exhibit will be open 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.