Death Valley, straddling California and Nevada, blooms a little every spring. But when conditions are right, including well-spaced rainfall and low winds, the desert becomes carpeted with wildflowers. This year the conditions were just right. Rains were gentle and penetrated deeply into the soil to germinate dormant seeds. The ground warmed slowly, allowing roots to develop. A moist, El Niño weather pattern kept the flowers watered as they grew.