Blooming Scottsdale March 7, 2001
It was an
unusual winter for Arizona
-- cold weather, snow, and lots of
rain. Not much fun while it's happening, but just right for a
"desert bloom" come spring. I always thought the term desert
bloom referred to the cacti blooming, now I
know it (also?) means the desert floor blooming.
This March, blue lupines, golden poppies, yellow brittlebush, and more than a dozen other wildflowers turned the desert into a brilliant, colorful scene. It's as if someone had actually planted an extravagant wildflower garden. The patched landscape, full of contrasts, was awesome.
There's really no way to 
describe
the transformation of barren, cactus-strewn wasteland into a
springtime wonderland. So I hope these photos will let you
enjoy it. They were taken near
Carefree, Arizona and in the adjacent Tonto Nat'l Forest outside Scottsdale. FYI,
those upright things in the photo to the right are saguaro cacti, about 7 feet
tall. If
you've got the time, or a fast internet connection, you might want to click on the photos
and see them full screen.
An extravagant desert bloom only occurs once every 5, or 20, years (depending on who you believe). We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I hope your luck is as good, and that one day soon you're someplace where the desert blooms.
