Wildflower safari east to Independence

The wildflower reporters I travel — and my ain eyes — accidental this is simply a mediocre twelvemonth for Texas bluebonnets and different outpouring wildflowers, particularly from Austin westbound into the Hill Country. Our ongoing drought kept seedlings from germinating past fall, and determination hasn’t been overmuch rainfall this outpouring to nudge stragglers into bloom. But eastbound of Austin, the representation is brighter acknowledgment to amended rainfall.

So erstwhile Lisa Negri of SummerHome Garden successful Denver came to sojourn past week (here to springiness a Garden Spark talk) and told maine she’d ne'er seen bluebonnets, I made it my ngo to find america immoderate blue. And we did!

For our wildflower safari past Thursday, we drove eastbound to Giddings and past meandered on two-lane farm-to-market roads betwixt Giddings and Independence. A bluish haze successful the region yet hinted astatine what was up — a tract of bluebonnets!

The prima was excessively precocious for bully photos (take an aboriginal greeting oregon late day thrust for champion photography), but our eyes were not disappointed.

I was blessed to spot Lisa’s delight successful the flowery meadows we found. It ne'er gets aged for maine either, hitting the jackpot of a bluebonnet field.

No complaints astir a pinkish tract of evening primrose either!

Look astatine those beauties.

One much — truthful bully with a backdrop of greenish workplace country.

We recovered a fewer multi-colored fields too, with bluebonnets, reddish Indian paintbrush, and yellowish coreopsis.

I was stumped by this solitary achromatic flower, but a Google hunt aboriginal ID’d it arsenic Texas bullnettle. Not 1 you privation to interaction due to the fact that of stinging hairs. Is anyone amazed to larn a Texas wildflower tin sting you? Not me. Join the fire-ant crowd, bullnettle.

Scissor-tailed flycatcher is 1 of my favourite birds to spot successful workplace country, wherever it swoops implicit fields successful aerial stunts enabled by its long, forked tail.

Bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush

A little view

Live oaks successful the inheritance implicit the Central Texas imagery. Well, nary — there’s thing missing.

Here you spell — a Texas longhorn!

We ended our wildflower hunt astatine Old Baylor Park successful Independence.

Paintbrush and coreopsis were layered crossed a tiny field.

A fewer bluebonnets too

A satin ribbon of pink-flowering writer arsenic well

A solitary Indian paintbrush successful ivory and greenish was a funny find.

Last look

The Antique Rose Emporium

We stopped astatine the Antique Rose Emporium successful Independence earlier heading to luncheon successful Brenham. I ever respect their show gardens, including this monolithic arch of braided terracotta pots.

Poppies were popping passim the gardens.

A planted-up thorax of drawers and watering tin made a charming invited connected a porch.

And of people the roses were having a party, with much bluebonnets joining successful the fun.

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Digging Deeper

Shop the Spring Native Plant Sale astatine the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center each play done April 27, 9 americium to 1 p.m. (last introduction astatine 12:30 pm). Plant merchantability admittance is free. Bring your ain wagon oregon cart to transport your treasures.

Tour 5 unsocial Houston gardens connected Saturday, April 26, from 10 americium to 4 pm, during the Garden Conservancy’s Open Day Tour for Houston. Tickets indispensable beryllium purchased online successful beforehand done the Garden Conservancy.

Come larn astir gardening and plan astatine Garden Spark! I signifier in-person talks by inspiring designers, scenery architects, authors, and gardeners a fewer times a twelvemonth successful Austin. These are limited-attendance events that merchantability retired quickly, truthful articulation the Garden Spark email database to beryllium notified successful advance; simply click this nexus and inquire to beryllium added. Read each astir the Season 8 lineup here!

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