A Day in the Garden with Chihuly – the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona

Last updated on May 20th, 2026

I love the Desert Botanical Garden, with its mix of carefully designed desert plantings and open desert. It’s a great place to see the beauty of desert vegetation at any time of year, although, of course, it is outstanding in the spring when everything is in bloom. . . . or when they are featuring an installation designed by glass artist Dale Chihuly.

I saw the Chihuly show here in 2009 and was eager to see the 2014 version.

So here’s a photo album from the exhibit.

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Daytime in a garden filled with Chihuly glass

There’s plenty of amazing glass right in the cactus gardens near the visitor center.

 

An open-air pavilion features a tower of orbs.

 

But there are interesting sculptures and plants throughout the garden.

 

You might even meet some of the garden residents as you wander!

Seek out a quiet corner, and you might find a pond with glass glaciers and boats filled with glass.

After dark in a magical garden filled with Chihuly’s glass

The sculpture in the Chihuly exhibit at the Desert Botanical Garden is lit at night, and that lighting makes it look very different.

Visiting after dark is absolutely magical.

And a rising full moon only adds to the magic.

As members, we were free to come and go as we pleased, so we came back four times to watch the changing light on the exhibit during the day and, of course, under lights at night. I would have gladly gone back four more times if I had a few more days in the city!

These photos were taken in February 2014. Chihuly in the Garden was on display through May 18, 2014.