Wildflower Show Attracts Thousands of Visitors
By Ruth Lepper

Lively lilacs blossom in the breezy Julian climate. Photo by Tracy Rolling

Julian Wildflower Show is an annual spring event hosted by Julian Woman's Club that attracts thousands of visitors

from around the world. It has been going on for more than 80 years but no one actually knows exactly when the first one was held.

The club celebrated its 80th year in September 2006, and while there are no records for the first time the wildflower shows became an annual event, chances are it was about the same time.

Stories passed on down the years tell about a club member, on her way to a meeting, stopping to pick a bouquet of wildflowers. It was such a hit with the other women, it was quickly decided to show off the variety of wildflowers growing in the immediate area of the town in a huge display at the Julian Town Hall from May 8 to 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Official "picking days" are now set up to cover a 10-mile air radius with Julian as the central focal point. That includes Wynola, Santa Ysabel, Mesa Grande, Ramona, Borrego Springs, Laguna Mountains and Cuyamaca, as well as the Julian area.

The women take pride in the fact that they only pick flowers on private property and with permission of the owners.

"It's always an adventure," said Marion Moore, chief picker for 31 years. "We've picked in sunshine and snow showers. We don't tell anybody where we find them."

Wildflowers are collected in four plant zones - high desert, low desert, mountains and meadows. Some of the varieties that will be displayed are California poppies, lilacs, buttercups, blue-eyed grass, death camus, baby blue eyes, fringed gilia and lupine, among others. From the desert, there will be agave, yucca, ocotillo, desert primrose, desert four o'clocks, verbena and desert juniper.

Jo Ann Bernard, who is chairing the 2008 show, said there will be a few changes from previous years. A guest speaker has been added. Photojournalist Ernie Cowan, from Escondido, will talk about his recently published book, "Anza-Borrego: A Photographic Journey," at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Julian Historical Society's Witch Creek School.

There also will be self-guided walks around town to locate various flowers, plants and trees marked with informational placards with both common and botanical names.