The Carlsbad Flower Fields can be found in Carlsbad, California. You will find the charming town of Carlsbad in North San Diego County. The gorgeous blooms within the flower fields Carlsbad begin to show in early March every year. Those beautiful colors stay in place until early May. That means you must plan your visit carefully if you want to see the Flower Fields in Carlsbad.
The History of the Carlsbad Flower Fields
Edwin Frazee was one of the people responsible for the beautiful flowers within the Carlsbad Flower Fields today. However, the history of this stunning location began many years earlier when Luther Gage settled in the area. Back in the 1920s, Luther planted the Ranunculus seeds he brought to Carlsbad.
Those seeds grew in the fields next door to Edwin’s father’s farm. Frank Frazee began growing the same seeds in 1933. He also showed Edwin everything he needed to know about growing Ranunculus flowers.
Edwin moved his gardens multiple times over the years. He arrived at the current location in 1965. He joined forces with Paul Ecke Jr. Paul’s family had grown poinsettias on this land prior to moving all their plants to greenhouses. That left the grounds more than ready for all the Ranunculus flowers.
The entire Ecke family made it possible for the flower fields Carlsbad to stay open long after the deaths of both Paul and Edwin.
The Gardens at the Carlsbad Flower Fields
The gardens within the flower fields Carlsbad are all located on fifty acres of land. The different gardens include:
- Illusion Garden – Two topiaries are featured within the Illusion Garden. Walking into this garden will have you feeling a little like Alice in Wonderland. You must see it for yourself to believe it.
- Mediterranean Garden – A Mediterranean theme can be found in this garden.
- Demonstration Garden – The Demonstration Garden is where you can learn how to grow your own gardens at home. They have nine different small sections filled with native plants, meadow grasses, and more. You will also find a small vegetable bed and orchard in this garden.
- Butterfly Garden – It is all about butterflies in this beautiful garden. You can sit on butterfly benches amongst the flowers. Don’t forget to check out the butterfly statues during your visit.
- Sea of Sunflowers – A huge garden filled with sunflowers.
- Fountain Garden – A fountain is the prominent feature of this garden.
- Ranunculus Fields – A large field filled with all different colored Ranunculus flowers.
- Historical Poinsettia Display – The poinsettia display can be found within a 1,500 square foot greenhouse. The Ecke family poinsettias contain more than twenty rare varieties. This is an excellent place to learn the history of this plant.
- American Flag of Flowers – A field of red, white, and blue petunias are grown every year. They are all planted to create what looks like the American flag. The entire flower flag is 300 feet by 170 feet.
- Artist Garden and Bird Aviaries – The greenhouses at the Carlsbad Flower Fields are what are known as the Artist Garden and Bird Aviaries. These gardens are an artist’s dream. Listening to the chirping birds only adds to the ambiance.
- Cymbidium Orchid Greenhouse – This orchid greenhouse is filled with cymbidium orchids.
Fun Things for Kids to Do at Carlsbad Flower Fields
You will find many fun things to do for kids at these flower fields. Everyone can explore the Paul Ecke Jr. Family Barn. From there, you can try to find your way out of the Sweet Pea Maze or ride on the Tractor Wagon. The flowers within the maze are all sweet peas. So, at least you have something nice to smell if you do happen to spend a little extra time in the maze.
The kids won’t be able to resist playing on Santa’s Playground for a while. This playground contains giant mushrooms and playhouses. Those playhouses include the Doll House, Crooked Treehouse, and Guard Shack.
Educational programs are also held at these flower fields. You may want to see what is taking place during the time you plan to visit.
Food at Carlsbad Flower Fields
There is a picnic area at the flower fields Carlsbad. It is the perfect spot to eat any of the delicious foods you purchase during your visit.
The Pizza Trolley offers artisan pizzas, as well as fresh salads. Over at The Strawberry Shack, you will find strawberry shakes, strawberry sundaes, and more. Other available foods include kettle corn.
There is a seasonal blueberry field at these gardens. This means you can wander around those two acres of blueberry bushes and pick your own blueberries during your visit. The blueberry patch is not always open though. If this is at the top of your list of things to do, you may want to call ahead.
Before you leave the Carlsbad Flower Fields, you will want to visit the Armstrong Garden Center. You can purchase many of the flowers you see in the fields there. The flower fields Carlsbad are quite wonderful. There are so many things to do there. It is easy to spend a couple hours or half a day exploring the beauty all around you.
Carlsbad is well known for a great restaurant scene, so checkout the best restaurants Carlsbad as well as the 10 best things to do in Carlsbad California. Also, visiting one any of the San Diego tide pools is always a great outing.
