Member Gardens Carrie Berringham

Carrie Berringham is a retired registered nurse whose passion for cacti spans more than five decades. Her love of collecting began in the 1970s, inspired by her mother — a Tennessee native who always dreamed of having a cactus garden but lived where the humid climate made it impossible. Carrie took that dream and made it her own, eventually building a large collection on her south-facing back patio.

When a home sale required her to give away her beloved plants, her collecting days seemed to be over — but the desert had other plans. While traveling in a motorhome with a friend and two curious cats, Carrie discovered that cacti were the one thing their feline companions refused to chew. Two small pots on the dashboard became the humble restart of what would grow into a thriving collection once more.

About three years ago, Carrie settled into her current home and began collecting in earnest again. Today she tends to approximately 200 plants, with her favorite genus being Mammillaria. Her collection also includes Astrophytum, Cereus, Echinocereus, Echinocactus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Parodia, Rebutia, and Epiphyllum (Phyllocactus) — a diverse and impressive range that keeps her happily busy.