My offering for Cee’s Flower of the Day photo challenge:

My youngest daughter, Katie, did some of her undergrad work at Mesa Community College in Mesa, AZ, but I never availed myself of the beautiful Rose Garden until this past May. I’d heard it was pretty extensive, but I didn’t realize how big it really is. Every time I rounded a bed, I saw more in the distance. After forty minutes of exploring and shooting over 160 photographs (I’ve included a few of the best), I’d only seen about half of the garden. Perhaps someday I’ll post a part two of this article.

Several entrances to the garden beckon from different angles and sections of the parking lot.

Click on the smaller photos below to see enlargements and captions.

I’m a sucker for yellow roses. I had some in my wedding bouquet.

These are so fluffy and fragrant! They remind me a little of gardenias.

I didn’t know roses even came in this color.

Have you ever seen purple roses?

I always thought roses had to have layers of overlapping petals. These only have five petals.

Both my father and my father-in-law grew roses. Greg’s dad often sent me home with a bouquet of American beauties. When we moved into our house, the pool was surrounded by roses. They’re all gone now. I couldn’t keep up with the aphids.

Look at these gorgeous two-color roses.

A sprinkler unexpectedly turned on and sent me running to dry ground. Luckily, I live in the desert and air-dried in a few minutes.

A different color of the five-petal variety.

Sculpture.

Ooo–parts of the garden are lighted. I’ll have to come back some evening with my honey.

Pretty flowers on these trees.

Cardon Children’s Hospital in the background.

See the nest in the tree?