These pictures tell you almost everything about the 2002 bloom compared to the 2001 bloom. They were taken in approximately the same location on the North Rim Trail, above the Temecula Gorge of the Santa Margarita River, in the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve.
Picture taken on 2 May 2001
Picture taken on 31 March 2002
The bloom isn't actually quite that pathetic everywhere. This location on the north rim trail is an exposed south-facing cliff, and thus shows the worst possible comparison of this year to last year.
Other nearby places have some pretty displays of stinging lupine, collar lupine, wild Canterbury bells, and deerweed. Other species in bloom are sugarbush, white everlasting, two-tone everlasting, golden yarrow, California buckwheat, bush monkeyflower, Southern California morning glory, bristly goldenaster, telegraph weed, four o'clock, sour clover, white sweet clover, climbing bedstraw, narrowleaf bedstraw, two lotus sp., California suncup, two popcorn fl sp, California croton, rattlesnake weed (Chamaesyce albomarginata), brittlebush, mule fat, and water cress.
See also Pictures of the Santa Rosa Plateau Vernal Pool and Vegetation for 2002 compared to 2001.