As you shelter in place, I hope you are able to see native plants and spring flowers when you walk in your neighborhood or local park. I live near Tilden, and it is bursting with color: yellow mules ears (Wyethia helenioides), orange poppies (Eschscholzia californica), pale yellow cream cups (Platystemon californicus), purple Phacelia imbricata, red paintbrush (Castilleja affinis), purple owl’s clover (Castilleja exserta) and red fuchsia-flowered gooseberry (Ribes speciosum).
Being outside and taking time to appreciate the beauty of the natural world is one of the most healing things we can do right now to reduce our stress from the isolation caused by this crisis.
