Stop and smell the flowers
Tulips in Abbotsford, British Columbia
Spring in Abbotsford means the Bloom Tulip Festival on the Warmerdam family flower farm. Along with numerous fun family activities, patrons can walk through their magnificent tulip fields and see the amazing colors that range from white to purple (and every shade in between). The farm continually updates their website, letting eager visitors know when tulip season (and their festival) will begin.
Poppies in Antelope Valley, California
The brilliant orange poppy is California's state flower and one of the prettiest when in full bloom. Thanks to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, these little bursts of floral sunshine can be enjoyed every spring. The park is open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, but the poppies don't peek their heads from the dirt until mid- to late March.
Bluebells in Halle, Belgium
Known locally as Hallerbos ("The Blue Forest") in Belgium, this magical wooded wonderland is blanketed in supple bluebell flowers for two weeks of the year. Blooming when the weather turns warm (often in April), the forest becomes a popular and heavily trafficked tourist destination with eager visitors excited to see these short-lived, legendary blooms.
Persian Buttercups in Carlsbad, California
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch in North San Diego County are 50 acres of pure floral beauty. Featuring Giant Tecolote Ranunculus blossoms (also known as Persian Buttercups), the colorful flower ranch is open to the public between six to eight weeks every spring and is a popular place for marriage proposals and weddings. Visitors can even buy cut flowers or bulbs to enjoy the blooms at home!
Shibazakura in Fujikawaguchiko, Japan
The delicate purple, pink and white shibazakura blooms (also known as moss phlox or lawn cherry) are so revered in Japan, there's even an annual festival to celebrate them. Held every spring near the base of Mount Fuji, visitors can walk through more than 800,000 blooms that cover the ground like a colorful carpet. The festival runs for approximately six weeks between April and May (depending on when the flowers bloom).
Lavender in Hokkaido, Japan
Not all pretty flowers bloom in spring. If you happen to be in Hokkaido during the summer, then you can't miss the Furano Flower Fields, featuring fields of fragrant lavender and some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes imaginable. Hokkaido is known for being cold, but come summer that snow melts and waters the soil, helping bring the sweet lavender and other flowers to life, like lupine, tulips and even shibazakura (which all bloom in May).
