Notes from the Land

The Founder’s Vision

A sanctuary where all are welcome

Garth Bowles created Boulder Gardens as a spiritual, off-grid community rooted in simplicity, protection of the desert, and radical welcome.

The teepee at Boulder Gardens Sanctuary among the desert landscape.
The teepee at Boulder Gardens Sanctuary

The Place

Rock, distance, and dispersed systems

Boulder Gardens is read through its paths, boulder formations, working spaces, water storage, solar installations, and the long distances between them.

Daily Record

Life between the systems

Photographs and field notes will document ordinary work: repairs, visitors, meals, weather, animal encounters, construction, and movement across the property.

History

A record that can grow backward

Earlier photographs and stories can be added alongside present observations, allowing the archive to recover older chapters without pretending they were recorded in real time.

Future Plates

What belongs here

Site Tour

A Walk Through Boulder Gardens

A photographic route linking the principal spaces.

Community

People of the Sanctuary

Portraits and short records made with care and permission.

Infrastructure

The Command Center

The workshop, computers, network, power, and records that meet in one place.

A visitor illuminated by natural light inside a Boulder Gardens cave
Inside the Boulder Gardens caves · October 24, 2026

Rock · Shelter · Contemplation

Light inside the caves

The caves are among the sanctuary's most memorable spaces: places of shelter, exploration, solitude, meditation, and dramatic changing light within the boulder landscape.

Explore the October cave tour →

Field Reports

Observations connected to Sanctuary

Desert Tarantula Sighting
October 14, 2026 · Boulder Gardens Sanctuary

Land & Ecology · Boulder Gardens Sanctuary

Desert Tarantula Sighting

Two large desert tarantulas were observed at Boulder Gardens during the autumn wandering season.

Read the full observation →
Yoga at Boulder Gardens
October 10, 2026 · Boulder Gardens Sanctuary

People & Community · Boulder Gardens Sanctuary

Yoga at Boulder Gardens

Yoga at Boulder Gardens We usually start at around 7 am and about 5 of us attend.

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Our Snakes!
September 20, 2026 · Boulder Gardens Sanctuary
September Equinox 2026
September 24, 2026 · Boulder Gardens Sanctuary

People & Community · Boulder Gardens Sanctuary

September Equinox 2026

Equinox 2026 These pictures are within a few days of the Equinox on September 23.

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Deep Creek Community Outing
October 2, 2026 · community Outing
Desert Tortoise Sighting!
September 11, 2026 · Village
This is the Boulder House
September 5, 2026 · Boulder House

Projects · Boulder House

This is the Boulder House

This is the Boulder House one of only a couple of structures at Boulder Gardens Sanctuary It has a fantastic view across the valley.

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Bird House
August 10, 2026 · Village
Night under a Boulder
August 7, 2026 · Teepee

Land & Ecology · Teepee

Night under a Boulder

I spent 4 nights in one of our border caves, under a huge rock. These talus caves are one of the main features of Boulder Gardens, and they are scattered around everywhere. more information on Talus Caves are here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talus_cave

Read the full observation →