Desert Pavilion

This is the second of the three pavilions in the Steinhardt Conservatory at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Click here for more photos; click here for the posting on the Tropical Pavilion. A desert environment is one of the most surprising to the uninitiated - someone I once knew who was a naturalist traveler made an interesting remark about the desert - many see it as a lifeless, barren void, when in actuality, the desert is teeming with life, both flora and fauna. He also made a comment (with which others have concurred) that one of the most beautiful sites is the desert at springtime when everything is in bloom. The Desert Pavilion has a selection of plants from around the world. From the Botanic Garden site: "The Desert Pavilion houses plants from arid regions in both the Old and New World. The New World cacti, located on the left side of the room, are from the American Southwest, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. The Old World succulents on the right side of the pavilion are from South Africa, Namibia, Madagascar, the Canary Islands, and North Africa. Shrubs, trees, and wildflowers from these regions are included in the display to illustrate the diversity of desert plant life. Special exhibits include a glassed-in display of lithops (or "living stones") and information on succulent survival strategies, convergent evolution, and the Sonoran and African deserts." So, until you have the opportunity to travel to deserts far and wide, take a journey through the garden's pavilion right in the heart of the city ...