The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers

at The Botanical Center in Des Moines, Iowa
May 26, 2012

map of Iowawelcome to Iowa sign
The Des Moines Botanical Center is an indoor conservatory of over 15,000 exotic plants, one of the largest collections of tropical, subtropical, and desert-growing plants in the Midwest. The Center blooms with thousands of flowers year-round. Beautiful and extensive exterior gardens are also located here.
The Entrance to the Des Moines Botanical Center
The Entrance to the Des Moines Botanical Center
The Entrance to the Des Moines Botanical Center

Below: Two different views of the sculpture entitled Spectral Liberation outside of The entrance to the Des Moines Botanical Center.

the scuplture entitled "Spectral Liberation
the scuplture entitled "Spectral Liberation
Below: The two RV Gypsies liked these flowers, but there was not any sign saying what they were.
the two RV Gypsies do not know the name of this flower
the two RV Gypsies do not know the name of this flowe
Below: Yellow Queen Shrimp Plant - Origin: Mexico
Below: Chenille Plant - Origin: Oceania
Yellow Queen Shrimp Plant - Origin: Mexico
Chenille Plant - Origin: Oceania
Below: Flamingo Flower - Origin: Brazil
 
Flamingo Flower - Origin: Brazil
overview of part of the garden

The two RV Gypsies at the Des Moines Botanical Center

Karen Duquette at the Des Moines Botanical Center
lee Duquette at the Des Moines Botanical Center
Below: Some of the many cacti at the Des Moines Botanical Center.
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, within the order Caryophyllales. The word cactus is derived through Latin from the Ancient Greek Kaktoc (kaktos), a name originally used for a spiny plant whose identity is not certain. The plural of cactus varies; the Latin cacti, the English cactuses and the uninflected plural cactus are all used. With the exception of one species, cacti are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north.
a cactus plant
many cactus plants
Below: Within a short walk from the Des Moines Botanical Center, the two RV Gypsies came to the Robert D. Ray Asian Gardens and Pavilion, named in honor of the former governor whose influence helped relocate thousands of Vietnamese refugees to Iowa homes in the 1970s and 1980s. Developed by the city's Asian community, the Gardens include a three-story Chinese pavilion, bonsai landscaping, and granite sculptures to highlight the importance of diversity and recognize Asian American contributions in Iowa. The Center Street Bridge can be seen in the background. There is a link to the bridge in the sub-menu below.
a three-story Chinese pavilion
a three-story Chinese pavilion
Look Below

Below are more sections of the adventures of the two RV Gypsies in Iowa. You may view them in any order you wish. Be sure to scroll all the way down this page for more navigational choices.

Des Moines Botanical Center (this page)
Center Street Bridge Walk
John and Mary PappaJohn
Sculpture Park
Adventureland Amusement Park
Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa
The Buddy Holly Plane Crash Memorial
Central Gardens of North Iowa
Clear Lake, Iowa
Fort Custer MAZE in Clear Lake, Iowa
Look Below

AFTER you have viewed all 9 sections above, please continue on to the adventures of the two RV Gypsies in Minnesota: The Jolly Green Giant and Redwood Falls

OR

Continue Navigation in the order of your choice
via the alphabetical or category buttons below

search for items on this webpage beginning with the letter A search for things on this website beginning with the letter B search for things/places on this website starting with the letter C search for things/places on this website starting with the letter D search for things/places on this website starting with the letter E search for things/places on this website starting with the letter F search for things/places on this website starting with the letter G search for things/places on this website starting with the letter H search for things/places on this website starting with the letter I search for things/places on this website starting with the letter J search for things/places on this website starting with the letter K search for things/places on this website starting with the letter L search for things/places on this website starting with the letter M search for things/places on this website starting with the letter N search for things/places on this website starting with the letter O visit places the two RV Gypsies have been that start with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter R search for things/places on this website starting with the letter S search for things/places on this website starting with the letter T search for things/places on this website starting with the letter U search for things/places on this website starting with the letter V search for things/places on this website starting with the letter W search for things/places on this website starting with the letter Y search this website for things/places starting with the letter Z such as ziplines find anything starting with the letter Q on this website
Menu for The two RV Gypsies in Alaska
The two RV Gypsies in Canada
Countries the two RV Gypsies visited cruises Lee and Karen Duquette enjoyed USA Destinations About Lee and Karen Duquette
Brian Duquette's life and tradgedy
e-mail The Two RV Gypsies
Karen Duquette's Flashbacks Please sign the Two RV Gypsies guestbook helpful information for RVers helpful hints for RVers and campers
Art seen by the two RV Gypsies Campgrounds in the USA and Canada Gardens the two RV Gypsies visited Lighthouses the two RV Gypsies visited Museums the two RV Gypsies visited National Parks the two RV Gypsies visited
Oddities and unusal things and places Restaurants the two RV Gypsies visited State Parks the two RV Gypsies visited Videos by Karen Duquette Waterfalls the two RV Gypsies visited wildlife seen by the two RV Gypsies