Amy and I are enjoying a stretch of pleasant days camped near Picketpost Mountain. On Saturday we wandered into the nearby town of Superior, Arizona, where we caught the local Saturday market. Amy came away with a jar of Slo-Burn Hot Orange Marmalade, excellent and memorably spicy. As we strolled through town, we discovered one striking mural after another, each adding a splash of color and history to Superior’s quiet streets.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum is the oldest and largest botanical garden in Arizona. It was established by William Boyce Thompson (1869–1930), a mining engineer whose wealth came from the copper mining industry. Recognizing the scientific and agricultural importance of studying desert plants, Thompson founded the arboretum to research and display species adapted to arid environments. The arboretum is located in the Sonoran Desert on 392 acres along Queen Creek, at the base of Picketpost Mountain, a prominent volcanic remnant. Its unique setting provides a range of microclimates that support plant diversity. Today, more than 2,600 species of arid-land plants from deserts around the world are cultivated at the arboretum, making it an important center for botanical research, conservation, and public education.
