Before our road trip to the Southwest in 2008, I’d not thought much about cacti or desert plants. Aesthetically, what I normally thought of as cactus plants did nothing for me. But, that changed in 2008. I began to appreciate how remarkable these drought-resistant plants are. They come in an astonishing array of shapes and sizes and remarkably can shows bits of color, too. Also astonishing are their flowers whose beauty contrast so sharply with their muted hosts.

I discovered that the Huntington Library had a world-renowned desert garden. Since I happened to be staying nearby, it was only a matter of driving a short distance to see the collection myself.

The garden has over 5,000 species spread over a 10-acre area, an important conservation collection that had me taking countless snapshots. I am not able to provide their botanical names but nevertheless include their portraits in the gallery.