Photographer Eric Bergeson recently made an 800-mile trip from Tucson, Ariz., west into California, with the intent of seeing the “superbloom” of the desert. A superbloom is a colloquial term used to define an explosion of wildflowers that exceeds typical spring blooms. Winter storms brought double the average rainfall to the area, including the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southeastern California. The park, usually bare of flowers, has come alive with vibrant greenery, poppies, primroses and lilies because wildflower seeds that have been lying on the desert floor for years have germinated. Eric says the phenomenon is a bit overhyped, possibly due to the proximity of a major media center (Los Angeles) and about 28 million people. “It is worth doing once in a lifetime. But Minnesota residents should note that our road ditches in July have color that is more intense — we’re just so used to color by that time that we don’t notice.”
