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Moorten Botanical Garden

Aug 31, 2015 | By New Darlings

Moorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New Darlings

The last place we stopped on our way out of Palm Springs was Moorten Botanical Garden.  It was on our list of places to check out and we are so glad we did.  This place was truly magical and we instantly fell in love with it! We’ve been to our fair share of gardens and nurseries, but there was something about this one that was so special.

Moorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsMoorten Botanical Garden - New DarlingsIt’s a private arboretum that was established back in 1938 and still family owned today.  We had an amazing time speaking to the current owner, Clark Moorten, who’s parents opened it up more than seven decades ago.  His father, Chester Moorten, also known as “Cactus-Slim”, pictured above (no, that’s not Sean Penn 😉 ) with his wife, Patricia, created this wonderland of over 3,000 different plants.  Clark shared childhood stories with us of him working on the property with his father.  Today he manages the garden along with some volunteers.

One of our favorite parts of the gardens had to be “The Cactus Castle”, which is a Mediterranean style house that sits on the property and was actually the Moorten’s home.  It was so charming with blue accents and beautiful pottery surrounding it. The “Cactarium” was also one of favorites.  Just incredible! It was a little greenhouse full of every type of cactus, terra cotta pots, and little lizards.  We would literally come out and turn right back around and go back into it.  We did this three times before we cut ourselves off.  We really could have stayed there for hours, but we knew we had to hit the road.  We highly recommend this beauty of a place and can’t wait to head back there!  It was the perfect send off to such a calming (extended) weekend.

His: Levi’s button down (similar), jeans c/o Dstld Denim, Rainbow sandals
Hers: Free People dress (sold out — similar here and here), Steve Madden sandals (similar)

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7 comments on “Moorten Botanical Garden”

  1. Hello beautiful!
    I’ve been searching for a new lens for my photography for a while now. Was wondering what camera + lens you use for your photos. The quality is stunning!

  2. Thank you for such kind words. My father (Clark) has spent so much time keeping the legacy of his parents alive and I can tell you that yes, that place is truly magical. My grandmother Patricia woke us children up early to see night blooming flowers or stare at the moon thru the telescope. Really growing up at the garden was as ethereal as you would imagine. I really appreciated reading your blog. Come visit again soon.

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