Sunset Wine Tasting & Food is offered on April 5, 12 and 19 amidst the flowers as the sun sets over the ocean in Carlsbad.
Sunset Wine Tasting & Food is April 5, 12 and 19 amid the flowers as the sun sets over the ocean. Photo by Chris Stone

The abundance of winter rain produced bigger, earlier blooms at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. Starting Thursday, an event will try to make the most of the 13 colors of ranunculus — and area businesses.

Organized by Visit Carlsbad, the third annual Petal to Plate runs through Sunday, April 14, partnering with area resorts, spas, restaurants and breweries.

Guests are invited to tour the fields and taste the delights of spring back in town with participating bars and restaurants, including Cape Rey Carlsbad, a Hilton Resort, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Barrel Republic and Park 101.

Petal to Plate spa treatments include Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa’s Aviara Flower Fields Facial as well as the Pampered with Petals massage.

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Thirteen colors of ranunculus flowers are laid out in rows over more than 50 acres in Carlsbad. Photo by Chris Stone
Oversized Adirondack chairs in The Flower Fields make for a good photo op. Photo by Chris Stone
By May, the entire 50-plus acres of flowers are in bloom for Mother’s Day, the most popular day at the fields. Photo by Chris Stone
The Flower Fields offers fresh cut flowers and bulbs for future plantings. Photo by Chris Stone
The bulb planting process is staggered in the fall to allow for a long-lasting bloom from March to May. Photo by Chris Stone
Visitors are asked to stay on dirt paths to avoid trampling the millions of plants. Photo by Chris Stone
Abundant rain has made the ranunculus blooms bigger and cut watering costs for The Flower Fields. Photo by Chris Stone
Cada año alrededor de 800 millones de flores se cosechan para ser vendidas en el mercado nacional. Foto por Chris Stone
The Flowers Fields at Carlsbad Ranch feature 13 colors of ranunculus plus about five acres devoted to other specialty flowers. Photo by Chris Stone

Cocktail offerings include Park 101’s Flower Child cocktail featuring botanical gin, lavender, honey, fresh lemon and grapefruit bitters.

Petal to Plate events

Thursday, April 4 – Sunday, April 14: Petal to Plate by Visit Carlsbad (various venues throughout Carlsbad). After visiting fields, guests are invited to enjoy offerings from 13 restaurants, bars and wellness establishments.

  • March-May (select days): Food trucks in The Flower Fields.
  • April 5, 12 and 19: Sunset Wine Tasting & Food.  Wine and food paired to the live music as the sun as it sets on the fields in this after-hours event.
  • April 6, 27 and 28: Basket weaving workshops.
  • April 14: Canon photography workshop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 50-plus-acre field off Interstate 5 contain 800 million plants, from which 750,000 bunches of flowers are sold nationally and internationally. Bulbs from one section provide bulbs for the coming year, according to Jess Williams, production manager for Mellano & Co.

Mother’s Day – May 12 this year — is a favorite time for visitors to tour the fields and make bouquets to give their friends and family members.

The fields at 5704 Paseo Del Norte in Carlsbad also feature other events in April and May, including musical performers, an Easter Sunrise service and Girl Scout Day.

About every other day, workers collect stems for sale. Other employees are tasked with keeping visitors out of the fields. People who try to take selfies often wander into roped off areas.

The Flower fields are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through May 12.

Admission is $18 for adults, $17 for AAA members, $16 for seniors 60 and older and $9 for children ages 3 to 10. Group tours have an additional cost.

More information of The Flower Fields can be found here.