The Moorten Botanical Garden is a 1-acre desert garden in Palm Springs established in 1938 by Chester and Patricia Moorten, and now run by their son, Clark Moorten.
In the 1950s, Chester and Patricia’s desert landscaping services were in high demand from Hollywood celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Walt Disney and Bing Crosby. They were even responsible for all the desert landscaping at Frontierland in Disneyland.
The Moorten Botanical Garden is a short distance south of downtown Palm Springs, and has a nature trail that takes about 45 minutes.
Check hours & admission.
5 best things to do at Moorten Botanical Garden
1. See 3,000 desert plants along the nature trail, that are grouped into different desert regions.
Prickly Pear Cactus.
Agave Americano.
Giant Barrel Cacti.
2. Step inside the world’s first cactarium (greenhouse), full of cacti and succulent specimens.
3. Take a photo at “Cactus Villa”, the original home of Chester and Patricia at Moorten Botanical Garden.
4. Purchase plants and pottery at the nursery.
5. Book a private tour of Moorten Botanical Garden.
6. See the adobe wall that was part of the first Palm Springs Hotel.
Review this attraction