The desert doesn’t turn green very often, but when it does it’s impossible to ignore. Even though it’s winter in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, recent rains have transformed Borrego Springs into a landscape of fresh growth and unexpected texture.
The Desert Renewed
Of course, it’s the desert wildflowers that unexpectedly sprang up well before spring that are getting most of the attention. And for good reason—the purple, yellow, and white blooms are magnificent.
But the entire desert floor and surrounding hillsides are also turning green, a reminder that the Anza-Borrego desert is far more dynamic than its dry reputation suggests.
I first noticed it in the soft fuzz of grass lining the shoulders of the roads around town. Then the creosote bushes seemed to deepen in color, and once-barren stretches of land turned from sandy, dusty brown to a lush green. And the iconic rugged mountains of Anza-Borrego State Park changed color as well.
It’s as if the desert took a long breath and exhaled, renewed. The green won’t last; the sun will reclaim the landscape, as it always does. But I, for one, plan to enjoy it as long as possible.
Leave a Reply