The Desert Blossoms as the Rose

The story is told that Wilhelmina Cannon, a homesick young pioneer woman and new bride, longed for the green hills and trees of her home in the eastern U. S. As she prepared to leave her home and husband behind in the harsh desert of SW Utah, David Cannon begged her to reconsider. "Show me one thing of beauty in the whole area and I’ll stay," responded Wilhelmina. David delivered on that challenge with a handful of sego lilies, plucked from the sparse, dry terrain around St. George. Wilhelmina’s heart was softened and they remained to become leaders in the community and parents of a prominent family.

Finding beauty in an area known for its "brackish water, blowing sand, pesky insects and unbearable heat" has been, over nearly 150 years, a challenge for many. But seemingly as a reward for perserverance, every spring and summer, the unforgiving desert produces a splendid show of wildflowers and for a short period, perennials are in brilliant color!

The normal colors of the desert - with little rain and extremely high temperatures - are browns, mauves, pastel greens and grays; but during the springtime, the dull desert palette becomes filled with brilliant shades of orange, magenta, yellow, white and red.

Although it is an annual event, the desert’s wildflower season is never the same from one year to the next based on weather conditions. If the winter has too much or little rain, or if the temperature is too warm or cold, the seeds of desert annuals will remain dormant or bloom in fewer numbers. Only when the conditions are near-perfect will the desert produce a spectacular show. A decade may pass with less than fruitful wildflower displays, but when the conditions are just right, the wildflowers fill the landscapes in a phenomenal riot of color.

You may have to look closely when visiting during the Utah Rotary District Conference May 13-15, 2010, but take a minute as you pass through our magnificent desert to find "just one thing of beauty." You may be pleasantly surprised at what you'll see all around you.