[Billie]

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

119. Trees

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,	5
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.	10
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

[HiJinx]

Trees come in all different shapes and sizes.

Welcome to the oldest and most spectacularly situated arboretum and botanical garden in the American Southwest, The Boyce Thompson Arboretum. In the roaring 1920s mining magnate Colonel William Boyce Thompson founded this 320 acre collection of desert plants at the foot of towering Picketpost Mountain near Superior, Arizona. He wanted to create in this place the most beautiful and useful arboretum of its kind in the world, and to instill in people an appreciation of plants. Now more than seven decades later the Arboretum has grown to include two miles of walking paths, a place for children to learn and for all ages to appreciate the beauty and importance of our desert ecosystems.

The three-acre cactus garden features cacti and other succulents from all over the Western Hemisphere. The garden , set on the north side of Magma Ridge offers several winding trails to allow patrons to enjoy the beauty of the plants and scenery.