It’s too soon to know for certain if the winter rains we’ve had so far will produce an abundance of spring flowers, but there are some promising signs. On a recent drive to northern California, the timing was perfect to see almond trees in various stages of bloom. It was quite literally snowing white flowers for miles.
Lush green hillsides filled the historic Pacheco Pass in the western San Joaquin Valley even though the nearby San Luis reservoir was only at 43% capacity. It’s stunning to see the water level almost 100 feet below where it once stood.
On the return trip south, a detour to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve offered a sneak peak at which might be expected in the next few weeks. Only a few hardy poppies were starting to bloom. According to the official website, they are “expecting a moderate bloom this year; picking up in time for our visitor center opening on March 5th. It is still too early to determine bloom peak time or how long the season will last.”
Though it’s still early for many wildflowers, the landscape is quite spectacular with its various shades of green and grey, all of which will soon fade to brown when summer arrives.