Blog : Ma nouvelle vie en Israel

Right now is the peak season for Israel's brilliant wildflowers. Try these spots for some of the best viewing of anemones, cyclamen, irises and more.

sraelis really love their kalanit (anemone), rakefet (cyclamen), narkis (narcissus), tourmus (lupine) and other wildflowers. They love them so much that they almost picked them into extinction, but in the past 50 years legislation and education have assured that springtime in Israel is a riot of color just about everywhere you look.

For those who are lucky enough to be in Israel during the peak wildflower season of mid-February to late March, ISRAEL21c offers this list of 10 awesome sites to see beauty growing wild.

Our recommendations come from two experts: Elisha Mizrahi of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) and professional photographer Yehoshua Halevi, who is working on an ebook about photographing Israel through the seasons.

They tell ISRAEL21c that it's not just wildflowers but also blossoming fruit trees that make this time of year so spectacular. Look for almond and cherry blossoms as you travel the country.

1.Scarlet South Festival 

There's still some time to take advantage of the yearly Scarlet South Festival in the northwestern Negev, produced in conjunction with KKL-JNF. Each Friday (from 9 to 3) and Saturday (9 to 4) throughout February, the public is invited to enjoy free tours through the red carpets of anemones in the Reim Recreation Area and the Ruhama Forest. But if you miss the festival, there's still plenty of color to see in March and April.

http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/top-10-places-to-see-israels-spring-flowers