Arizona was unseasonably wet and cold this past winter. As luck would have it, one Pacific low-pressure system followed another. Combine that with the rains of last summer's monsoon, and guess what happened? WILDFLOWERS.
California Poppy
Our friends had been gushing over wildflowers for weeks—yet Dave and I were slow to check them out. Thankfully, we got our act together and set off to find some color for the Phoenix Mountain Preserve entrance at North 32nd Street.
Flowering brittlebush lined the trail, which was nice, but we were looking for gorgeous. Had we missed the bloom?
Lupin line the trail.
Lupin
O ye of little faith. As Dave and I ascended, our surroundings improved dramatically.
Hedgehog cactus, lupin and poppies.
Patches of color broke up an otherwise monotone landscape—and the desert was as green as we'd ever seen.
Ocotillos and hedgehog cacti were in bloom—with saguaros and red hooks budding—set to follow their lead.
Ocotillo/
Wow, wow, WOW. It was glorious.