Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza in full bloom during ‘Springtime Gardens’

Spring has sprung at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza, where now through April 15 visitors can shake off the winter doldrums as they enjoy a time-honored vernal tradition — Springtime Gardens.

The larger-than-life floral displays arrived earlier this month, as decorators worked on two separate installations in the Plaza’s Carousel Court and its Crate & Barrell/Macy’s Home Store wing. In keeping with beloved Easter themes, the carousel horses have been swapped out with bunnies.

In the absence of Easter bunnies this year, a bunny carousel draws attentions of young visitors to “Springtime Gardens” at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Speaking of rabbits, organizers admit with some sadness that South Coast’s traditional Easter bunnies will not be able to make a special appearance this year, due to the still-ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but visitors and families can still pose for spring photo sessions and enjoy the finery they’ve come to appreciate over the years.

On Friday afternoon, locals snapped pics of small children and posed with one another in front of colorful pastel blossoms, eyeing the best photo ops and making memories with family and friends.

Others made a day out of it, stopping by the gardens on their way to one of a number of area restaurants that recently reopened indoor dining options after Orange County transitioned on March 14 into a less restrictive “red” reopening tier.

In addition to Springtime Gardens, South Coast Plaza has committed to participating in another spring rite of passage, hosting a modified version of the Southern California Spring Garden Show.

Still in the works, the event will kick off April 22 with the completion of a three-story floral centerpiece created by Fiesta Floats, a company famous for crafting floats for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.

That celebration will feature garden-themed displays designed to showcase area landscape designers, home stores and outdoor living companies whose professionals know how to capture the magic of outdoors indoors.

Shoppers on Friday take in the “Springtime Gardens” art exhibit at South Coast Plaza, open now through April 15.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

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