For the past two years, something has stirred in Tempe, causing it to bloom. On a crisp Saturday morning in January flowers suddenly line Mill Avenue, flow out of trash cans, and add color to an already vibrant college town. For one weekend only, flower installations take over the city, and like bees, the citizens of the greater Phoenix area crowd around to marvel at the art and creativity these giant bouquets offer.

For a second season, Tempe has organized and produced the most sweet-smelling giant arrangements—a welcome reprieve in the dead of winter. Some are interactive, inviting viewers to sit within the installations, while others are simply there to be admired.

As one winds down city streets and turns corners, colorful displays greet you. Each exhibition has its own theme and inspiration. Some take a monochrome approach, while others venture into more exotic territory, with blooms that are tropical in nature. Sculptural and structural strength is a common theme, with some blooms creeping up buildings or even into fountains.

Some blooms have burst out of buses or milk cartons, or found themselves caught in the crossfire of unsuspecting traffic barricades. The blooms seem to have a mind of their own, playfully interacting with the spaces they inhabit.

By Sunday afternoon, the blooms have performed their final act. They’ve brought joy and color to a slow-moving winter, slowly disappearing to slumber for another full year—until Tempe blooms again.