In case any visitors (or locals) did not see recent reports on the Califoria poppy preserve in Lancaster, they are near their peak now.

If you are traveling between LA and San Francisco, they are a short detour from Gorman on the I-5. It's also not that difficult to take a day trip from Los Angeles (but don't arrive back in town between 3pm and 6pm during the week!)

Some photos I took this week:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kiwifann...eValleyPoppies

More information:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=627

Oooohhhh these are beautiful!!

Oh thank you for the photos!!
I love poppies.
I used to go to water color classes and my teacher grew red ones .. in a garden in NY State.. I couldn't get my own to grow..couldn't paint them very well either lol..

Enjoy the flowers !

wow- those are fabulous photos!!

How long will the poppies be in bloom and is there a place close to Sacramento where they grow - I will be down there in a couple of weeks and would love to see them!!

The on most hillsides and along many freeways and off ramps. If they're still blooming, you won't miss them.

When I was a little girl we used to think it was against the law to pick them. Where did that come from?

They're on most hillsides and along many freeways and off ramps. If they're still blooming, you won't miss them.

When I was a little girl we used to think it was against the law to pick them. Where did that come from?

omigosh! omigosh! Those are absolutely beautiful pictures!

Thanks so much for sharing!

I've always wanted to go and make that detour to Lancaster but never seemed to have the time. How long is this season going to last?

I love California poppies too -- seeing hillsides or fields of brilliant orange can't help but cheer you up! http://preview.tinyurl.com/45ut4o

Thanks for the compliments.

I'm not sure whether you can find poppy fields like this elsewhere in the state, but you can find individual plants all over. The following website is pretty good for state-wide wildflower reports.

http://www.theodorepayne.org/ (there is a link and also a phone number).

The did say the Antelope Valley/Gorman area should last into May. It is best to pick a day that isn't too windy. Check a weather station for Lancaster.

They will bloom as long as there is water. So in my garden, I am weeding them out all the way until winter.... I do like them but they get very big and weedy looking very fast and they crowd out the "real" plants. Although last year I got a hybrid to grow that is pink, and that's cool.

Beautiful photos mlgb, thank you for posting them.

We used to have poppies all over California but not so much anymore.

I believe that it was said it was illegal to pick wildflowers Grasshopper, I don't know for sure if that was true or not but I think it was. At least that is what all the adults in my life said. I don't know if it is now legal or not but imo it best to leave the wildflowers in their natural habitat.

Thanks for the pictures!

We were driving along some country roads between Highway 101 and the coast here in Sonoma County last weekend and the poppies are going strong here. It seems like this is a particularly good year for them in this area.

And on another floral subject, I have been wanting to mention to somebody how especially amazing the wisteria seems to be this year - it's also at its peak and seems like it's everywhere all over various local towns - thick gorgeous canopies of cascading blossoms in winery and restaurant arbors, neighborhoods, etc. I love spring!

Great pictures. I went to the poppy festival once, was it crowded. At least the kids enjoyed it.

I haven't been to the high desert since we drove through to see an artist’s creation. I don’t remember the name but there were over 1000 yellow umbrellas spread out near Gorman on I5 and we picnicked under one of them. Thanks for the memories.

Christo's Umbrella Project:

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/9173/umbrellas.html

Thanks for the photos, mlgb. Those are my husband's favourite flowers.

Great pictures. I would love to do a day trip up there from O.C.

~Dawn

One of my pictures got an honorable mention in the Fodor's Califoria Contest...woo hoo!

Congratulations!! They are wonderful photos.

they were in bloom (and Lupine) in the Sierra foothills when we were there 2 weeks ago--not nearly as many , but still beautiful. Thanks for the photos!