Cool things about Carlsbad – the Flower Fields

There are a bunch of cool things about Carlsbad. The funky little downtown village, the beach, and the Carlsbad Flower Fields. What, you might ask, is so special about a few flowers? As the saying goes, let me count the ways.

A long history of cultivation

The current flower fields owe their existence to a man named Luther Gage, a horticulturist who moved to the area in the 1920s. Luther was the first to cultivate ranunculus seeds and the only one until his neighbor, Frank Frazee, starting growing the flowers in 1933. Fast forward almost 90 years, and the Flower Fields have become a major tourist attraction and event venue, drawing visitors from all over the world.

Enjoying the cool things about Carlsbad

Visitors are told to stay out of the flower fields, and most abide by the rule. However, there are always those who find themselves drawn into the fields. As you can see from the photos below, just in the short time I was there, I came across multiple cases where the desire to ‘get that shot’ pulled them in where they really shouldn’t be.

Just as there are people who feel a need to act differently, there were several cases where the ranunculus did the same. Look at some of those colors! A single red bloom in a sea of white and yellow. Purple surrounded by orange. In the big picture, they almost get lost. But when you look closer, those little exceptions add interest. 

In all the years we’ve lived in the area, I’d never gone to the flower fields, but I’m so happy I took the time on a sunny afternoon to go, wander, and take in the beauty. 

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