By Tim Hunt
CARLSBAD—If you are headed for coastal San Diego County in spring and enjoy pretty sites, put the Flower Fields here on your list.
When the 55 acres of Giant Tecolote Runuculus, 13 different varieties, are blooming, it’s spectacular. You can catch glimpses driving by on northbound Interstate 5, but it’s worth the $25 price of admission to park and step inside to appreciate the majesty. When we toured in mid-May, the normal Mother’s Day closing day had been extended because the blooms were still worthwhile, even though workers already were turning over one-third of the fields.
Carlsbad is both a thriving residential community with a charming town a couple of blocks from the Pacific Ocean and plenty of restaurants and hotel properties including the famed La Costa Resort (site of many PGA Tour events over the years) and the nearby Hyatt Aviara with its Arnold-Palmer designed course that annually hosts an LPGA event. LaCosta now is the permanent home for both the NCAA men’s and women’s golf championships that take place back-to-back weeks in May.
 For families, it’s home to Lego Land with four big resort hotels located on the hill above it with their own private entry. And there’s plenty of shopping ranging from a factory outlet center to Costco just below Lego Land and the hotels. The backdoor to the hotels empties onto the thoroughfare serving the Crossings municipal golf course.
There’s an 85-year history of growing flowers that started next to Frank Frazee’s vegetable garden in south Oceanside (just north of Carlsbad). Ranunculus are a member of the poppy family and typically have just the single petals that characterize California’s orange state flower. Luther Gage, a horticulturist, started growing ranunculus next door and sparked Frazee’s interest. Frank started growing them and introduced his son, Edwin, to growing the flowers that were not popular at the time.
Their diligent efforts, over many years, resulted in the current full-bodied flower and the multitude of colors beyond the original reds and yellows. When they saw a plant with fuller blossoms or different colors, they saved it and cultivated more. There are now 13 different colors. Frazee moved his operation several times before settling in the current location in 1965 on land owned by the Ecke Family of Encinitas. The Eckes grew poinsettias in the fields, but then shifted their operation to greenhouses opening the way for the ranunculus.
Paul Ecke Jr. and the Frazees spoke the same language as flower growers and, when Edwin was ready to retire in 1993, Paul convinced him to serve as a consultant to the new grower, Mellano and Co. As the flower cultivation business grew more challenging economically, Paul became convinced tourism was an answer—the result was The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. It is now operated by a foundation that draws hundreds of volunteers during the season.
Visitors are welcome to walk through the expansive blooming flowers and tractor-drawn farm wagons are available for an extra cost (free to mobility challenged people) that have a few stops around the property. One highlight is the you-pick blueberries on the northside. In addition to the stunning ranuncula fields a south-facing hill features a giant American flag (300-feet by 170-feet) of growing petunias. It’s been viewed outside of the park across the street.Â
