Floral fireworks

A report from the Los Angeles Times on the good news coming out of the record wet winter in California:

The process is easy: just add water and the deserts of Southern California burst into color. During the El Niño year of 1998, for instance, a series of rainstorms transformed a 40-mile stretch of Interstate 40 between Barstow and Needles into a carpet of gold, and while this year’s flowers can still be jeopardized by heavy rains or a sudden heat wave, 2005 promises to be a phenomenal year. Already wildflower enthusiasts are making plans to follow the bloom from the lower elevations — Anza-Borrego, Joshua Tree and portions of Death Valley — in March to the higher elevations — the Mojave Preserve — in April and May.

The article continues to provide details — and many photos.