Flower fields in San Diego County show vibrant signs of spring with massive bloom

The Carlsbad Ranch in San Diego County claims to have one of the world's largest flower fields and whenever it's in bloom, it's a massive sign that spring has arrived.

Carlsbad greets every spring with a rainbow of flowers, and it officially opens for the season on Sunday. Fifty-five acres of them are carefully cultivated year after year at the ranch.

The ranch includes a variety of different types of flowers, including giant Tecolote ranunculus, which come in 13 colors.

"In nature, there were about three main colors: this red that you see, yellow and white and so all the other 13 that you'll find here we've developed over time," said Taylor Moss, the fields operation manager.

Moss grew up on the sprawling ranch because her dad works here, too. She said the same family, the Eckes, have run it for more than 60 years.

"It takes about six months to grow these from seeds, so they're quite difficult, but we have the perfect climate here in San Diego," Moss said.

Decades ago, the Eckes decided this seasonal magic needed to be shared.

"They really had this dream of making a flower field, something that people could come and enjoy," Moss said.

For about 10 weeks each year, the Carlsbad Ranch opens its flower fields to the public. The social media-savvy tend to flock to post-worthy shots at peak bloom.

"We'll have about 14 to 20 acres in bloom when our guests come here on opening day," Moss said. "As the season progresses, these flowers will grow slowly south, so peak bloom happens around the beginning of April and then we kind of fade towards the end towards Mother's Day."

Toward the end of the season, the ranch begins harvesting and selling the popular flowers' bulbs. Guests during this year's bloom can also purchase farm experiences from a tractor wagon ride and blueberry picking to a swirling butterfly encounter.

"That allows you to actually walk in, you get a nectar stick you can feed butterflies as they land on you," Moss said.

One of the other crops cultivated on the ranch is olive trees. Farmers harvest them to make and sell olive oil here; the fields also host numerous hands-on activities for visitors.

"A workshop that you can make flower crowns; you can make bouquets," Moss said. "We even have fun sunset wine dinners at night that have four courses."

Mike and Diane Miller visited the ranch from Pennsylvania. They pulled over to view the fields from one of the perches built along Armada Drive. They said seeing the flowers with the ocean in the background and palm trees is "spectacular."

"It's very unique how they color in rows," Mike Miller said.

The Millers said while the grass may not always be greener in California, Carlsbad's vibrant spring blooms sure are something to boast about.

"I've never seen it anywhere," Mike Miller said. "You don't see that back where we're from."