If you judge a season by its blooms, spring is an early visitor in Sonoma County this year. Scarce winter rains and warm temps settled in ahead of schedule, and so the parks of this lush wine country are already awash in color.
Bottom line, Owners and guests at Mayacama are in the midst of a glorious moment. From the front door of Mayacama’s luxury fractional homes they’re only moments from the heart of this region’s green spaces, and the options for wildflowers are everywhere.
For a guide to how to see spring, this year, let’s turn to the experts who are out on the trails.
Spring Surprises: 2014 in Sonoma County
A drier than usual winter in Northern California means unexpected pleasures along the paths that wind the fields, waterfronts, and woods of Sonoma.
The grasses and non-native vegetation that can crowd wildflowers — park experts think there will be fewer of them this year. That means a chance to see more flowers, and to see certain kinds of blooms that might otherwise have been hidden in years prior.
“Whatever happens, this will be an interesting year,” writes Phil Dean, master gardener, on the Sonoma County Wildflowers blog. “You’ll see things you’ve never before seen. I can’t predict exactly what that will be but you’ll notice different plants and I encourage you to get out and see them.”
And, this year, what you do find — from the indigo hues of grape-scented Blue Sky Lupines to the tender yellow of Sun Cups — these are plants that have proven their hardiness during a drought. There’s a home-gardening tip packed into that phenomenon.
“The nice ones you see surviving well are probably the ones you’ll want to shop for at your local native plant store,” Dean writes. “These are plants that don’t use irrigation [or] need a lot of extra water.”
Seeing Color: A Collection of Guided Walks
So, how do you get to all this beauty? Try a tour with the experts at Sonoma County Regional Parks. The schedule and topics for this spring’s series of free guided hikes is as follows — and there’s more information at their calendar page (once on the site, you can use the provided menu filter to select Wildflower Walks).
What better way to spend a sunny afternoon than to lose oneself in a world of natural wonders — all part of the riches for which this grape-graced landscape is known? And, as always, if you have any questions about transportation or coordinating a walk with the parks department, just talk to your Mayacama concierge.
To learn more about membership opportunities at Mayacama, please contact us at 866.393.1819 (toll free) or 707.569.2950 (direct) or via email at info@mayacama.com
