Thursday, October 18, 2018
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Volume 64 | Number 8
www.DesertMobileHomeNews.com
CELEBRATING THE RESIDENTIAL PARK COMMUNITIES FOR 64 YEARS
Moorten’s Botanical Garden: An 80-year old family treasure By Gary Willhide
C
acti may be low maintenance, but in the 80-yearold Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium, “there is a lot of low maintenance.” Those are the words of Clark Moorten, who, with his wife, Carolyn, has managed the garden since his father, the founder, died in 1980. The popular garden attracts a steady stream of tourists yearround to its cozy home on South Palm Canyon in Palm Springs. The number of visitors has increased considerably in recent years. The reason: “Social media,” says Moorten. “Tourists stop by
and take photographs and post them on Instagram or Pinterest and more people come,” he said. The garden is home to roughly 3,000 examples of desert cacti and other desert plants. Moorten has a number of volunteers who help as docents and, of course, as gardeners. He is especially pleased with the five-year relationship the garden has with the Master Gardeners organization out of the University of California at Riverside. Clark’s dad, Chester (“Slim”), was a silent film actor (one of original Keystone Cops) and moved to the desert in the 1930s to treat a case of tuberculosis and to pan for
gold. He soon realized that raising and selling cacti was more profitable than panning for gold, Clark said. Chester created the first tourist garden in the middle of what is now Tahquitz Way in 1938. Gradually the wholesale business turned into more of a tourist attraction and moved to its current location in the 1950s. Moorten still does a little wholesale growing, but his focus is on attracting visitors to the acre-plus garden. The garden retails plants and other related souvenirs (tortoises made out of rocks). Eleven live tortoises also call the garden home and can frequently be seen. The curator is considered to be
one of the most knowledgeable “cactologists” in the nation. “Taking care of the plants is rewarding,” Moorten says. “Some live, some die,” he adds, “but one of the best things about them is that they don’t poop.” Even so, dogs on leash are welcome at Moorten’s. Moorten’s is one of the original Gems of the Desert and hasn’t changed much in 80 years. Moorten Botanical Garden is located at 1701 South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs. Season hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed on Wednesdays. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children. For more information, visit moortenbotanicalgarden.com.
Modernism Week Preview showcases midcentury modern art, architecture and design By Alison Elsner
T
he annual preview is back, with the fifth annual Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale Fall Edition set to showcase 40 premier national and international decorative and fine arts dealers. A festive opening night party and early buying preview reception will
be held, with cocktails, live music and an exclusive sneak peek (and the chance to be the first to shop) at the Modernism Show & Sale. Atomic Ranch magazine will return to the Show & Sale with a presentation on midcentury modern renovation challenges, and there will be a book signing by author Doug Meyer during the
weekend to discuss Meyer’s new book, “Heroes: A Tribute,” which pays homage to brilliant creative figures such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Rudolph Nureyev. Attendees can also plan on favorite highlights such as the architectural and neighborhood walking tours, double decker architectural bus tours, educational events and
parties at historic venues and homes throughout the desert. The Preview is the perfect chance for cultured souls to prepare for the signature, 11-day annual event coming up February 14-24. Modernism Week Fall Preview runs October 18-21. For more infomation, visit modernismweek.com