Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.
~ A. A. Milne ~
Our lovely hostess for the day, Susie, arranged for a docent led tour of Tohono Chul Park, followed by a delicious luncheon in the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro.
Tohono Chul Park was formally dedicated on April 19, 1985. “We wanted to keep something natural in the middle of all the (surrounding) development so that people could come easily for a few hours and get out of the traffic and learn something at the same time. It’s probably contrary to what most people would do, but we feel it’s really important for people to have something like this.” The original benefactors, Richard and Jean Wilson, started piecing together patches of desert in 1966. In 1968 they purchased the section containing the hacienda-style “West House” known today as the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro. The Wilsons lived in this house for eight years. Today, the park covers 49 acres.
There were 11 Women Who Wine who were able to attend the event. The docent-led tour was very informative and made the tour of the gardens much more interesting for our group. After the tour we meandered through the gift shop and greenhouse. Christy found the perfect plant for her courtyard! Following was lunch at the Bistro which was delicious! So much fun to have our own private room for dining and visiting. The day was so much fun!
There were 11 Women Who Wine who were able to attend the event. The docent-led tour was very informative and made the tour of the gardens much more interesting for our group. After the tour we meandered through the gift shop and greenhouse. Christy found the perfect plant for her courtyard! Following was lunch at the Bistro which was delicious! So much fun to have our own private room for dining and visiting. The day was so much fun!
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| LtoR - Kelly, Debbie, Cathy, Ruth, Connie, Vicky Daryl, Judy, Susie, Christy and Pam The entrance to Tohono Chul Gardens |
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| LtoR - Kelly, Debbie, Ruth and Connie Waiting in the shade at the reptile pavilion Surprise! Our docent got reprimanded for having a very noisy group as we approached. Who us? We never! |
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| LtoR - Christy with her new scaly friend and Pam |
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| Lifesize metal sculpture of horse |
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| Replica of petroglyphs on rock |
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| Lovely grotto in the midst of the gardens Who knew the desert could be so lush? |
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| What is a garden without grapes? |
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| Lovely wooden branch spiral sculpture in the gallery attached to the gift shop. Working on that Ocotillo sculpture today! |
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| LtR - Connie and Daryl Talk to the hand, Connie's hand! |
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| LtoR - Ruth, Kelly, Judy and Debbie Lunch at the Bistro |
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| LtoR - Judy, Susie and Christy |
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| LtoR - Cathy and Vicky |
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| No, Connie, don't check your texts! Don't do it! Eeek! |
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| Take that! |
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| Crisis averted! |
