Death Valley in California, known as the hottest place on Earth, has surprised visitors by bursting into colour with a rare bloom of wildflowers.
The desert, which is usually one of the driest and most empty-looking places in North America, has been covered in violet and golden flowers after unusual weather conditions.
Experts say the special event happened because the area had a much wetter autumn than normal last year. That rainfall soaked the seeds in the ground and helped wash away their protective coverings, allowing them to start growing. A wetter winter then gave the young plants the steady moisture they needed to develop roots.
Death Valley normally receives very little rain in a year, which is why it is classed as the driest place in North America. For flowers to grow across the desert on this scale, the weather has to be almost perfect. The National Park Service, which manages Death Valley, said last month that this is an above-average bloom year. Bright yellow desert gold, brown-eyed primrose, grape soda lupine and desert star are among the flowers now on show.
Experts say this is the best flower display the desert has seen since 2016.
