I love fresh flowers almost as much as dark chocolate. When we graduated from college and began our life as a young working couple, my husband developed the habit of purchasing a bouquet of flowers from the kiosk on the corner by our office building every Friday. I looked forward to my “Friday flowers” – they brightened my spirits and our home. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed scattering fresh flowers and live plants throughout the house to add a sprinkling of color and beauty.
I adore wandering through botanical gardens and flower fields. My kids often complained about my efforts to squeeze in visits to flower gardens (and churches with stained glass windows) during our family trips. My husband and I recently visited The Flower Fields in Carlsbad. A veritable rainbow of ranunculus lit up the fields. The flowers bloom from early March through early May, around six to eight weeks — fifty-five acres striped with brightly colored rows of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus. And there’s usually a patriotic American flag made out of flowers proudly displayed on the south side of the fields. It’s truly a sight to behold.
During my recent trip to Utah, I visited the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. My sister-in-law and I meandered through the fifty-acres of Ashton Gardens, marveling at the vast array of colors. The spring flower showcase included over 750,000 flowers, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and poppies. My favorites were the multi-colored tulips with the fringed petals and the tulips that looked like peonies. They were both unique and beautiful.
Mother Nature is amazing. Unfortunately, I missed the super bloom of wildflowers in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Fortunately, I caught the ranunculus and tulips. So many flowers. So little time.
