Spring is coming to the desert and my once a year hobby – photographing wildflowers – takes up all the time I can give it. I’ve been a bit remiss with blogging recently and I’m afraid this will continue for a couple of months. Last year the display was disappointing due to the drought, but this month we had some rain and the flowers are starting to bud. I’ll give you a preview of what’s to come.
Butterfly in wild “garden” in Central California.
Dodecatheon clevelandii – shooting stars – an early bloomer.
California is probably the best place for wildflowers in the U.S. (with Texas coming a close second) – perhaps the best in the world. Early explorers and settlers said the grasslands were carpets of color.
A desert species ( Mentzelia invlct.)
The blooms usually start in the southern California desert in March and flowers slowly open up in April as they “march their way” north with the warmer weather.
L. parvum (leopard lily) – Sierra Nevada Range
Finally the lilies and clarkias come out in May – and even later in the mountains. This is all dependent on precipitation – so pray for more rain! …..our reservoirs and farmers need it too.
If you go in search of wildflowers – take only photographs (each flower contains the seeds for next years blooms), and leave only footprints (but not on the flowers!).
so beautiful 🙂
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Thank you Joshi – that is a compliment from a real photographer! (Love your people pictures – so much character.)
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Lovely shots. I live in a city without seasons– so these have an added poignancy for me. I miss my home town with its winters, springs and summers.
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Ah yes – you’re in the tropics right? There are advantages (like skipping winter!) and disadvantages to both.
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These are lovely and I am amazed that so many are familiar from forms to be found in the UK.
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There are some of the same genera I’m sure, but then I’ve read the English excel at borrowing and breeding species from all over the world your their gardens.
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I adore your blossoming beauties, Cinda! And I am a massive fan of wildflowers. I planted a butterfly meadow on my property and have been watching it slowly grow and sometimes struggle with each year depending upon what flower or weed gets a head start.
My mom is a master gardener and her property looks like Mother Nature in her hippy phase exploded all over it. Flowers on top of flowers on top of flowers. I have no idea how she finds time to eat. I am all about flowers reseeding themselves. The only plants I remember to tend are the ones that grow in my veggie patch, as I rely upon those for daily sustenance. The alarm bell reminders are the gurgles of my stomach. Works for me.
Enjoy your spring abundance!
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I’m with you. Just throw some seed out every year fall and early spring; if they are tough – and they must be – if they belong there – they will thrive. I have pretty good luck with my California poppies reseeding themselves year after year. When I have lots of seeds, I throw them along roads etc.
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Really? (Thank You!) Flowers are so cooperative, holding still to pose. Just focus in close and hold your breath (literally.) Sometimes I use a tripod, but that is such a nuisance to carry; sometimes I don’t even carry my SLR and macro lens –just my point’n shoot.
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You’re such a good photographer. I can never get any good pictures of flowers!
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