Once Again, The Texas Wildflowers Are Blooming

Northern states are in the spotlight every fall, when the leaves on the trees turn bright and vivid colors. Springtime, however, is the time when the Texas Hill Country shines. For it is in this time of year when the famous hill country wildflowers bloom, and, once they are seen, they are never forgotten.

There are over 45 types of wildflowers found in the hill country. The species of flowers bloom at different times, but most bloom sometime between March and June. Of the most popular wildflowers, Bluebonnets and Texas Paintbrush are the early bloomers, as they usually show their best colors from March through April. Indian Blankets typically bloom a little later, with April and May being peak months. But, if you’re driving around the hill country anytime between March and June, or, perhaps a tad bit later, you’re going to see some type of wildflower, and plenty of them.

Last month, in February, there were a few early and sporadic sightings of Bluebonnets. A few weeks ago, the sightings began picking up significantly. Today, the fields of color are beginning to break out all over. Several days ago I drove down a road and didn’t see a single flower, but when I drove that same road today, I saw thousands of Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush, and other wildflowers.

The experts say that this is going to be a banner year for wildflowers in Texas, as it always is following a wet fall and winter. From early indications, they seem to be right. One thing is for sure, if you’ve always dreamed about seeing the colorful wildflowers in the hill country of Texas, this is a great year to make that dream come true.

Lady Bird Johnson And Her Legacy To The Hill Country Of Texas

There are many who say that Lady Bird Johnson was the “better half” of the marriage between the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and his First Lady. And, a first lady, she truly was.

Until her death in 2007, Mrs. Johnson was an inspiration to those who knew her personally, but also to those many more who had never met her. During her life, her work to beautify America, through her various projects, left a lasting impact across the nation. Even after her life’s passing, the goal of sustaining and nurturing native plants and landscapes continues.

Things are just a bit more personal down here in the Texas Hill Country, because this is where the Johnson family had its historical roots, where President Johnson first acquired his political base, and where he and Lady Bird raised their family, except for the extensive time they spent in the nation's capital. It is also where, when his long political career came to an end, they both came “home.”

Unfortunately, while the former President did not have many years left after leaving the White House, Lady Bird lived to the age of 94. And, it was in those years following her husband’s death that she helped establish the National Wildflower Research Center. Donating both money and land, but more importantly, her time and influence, she helped set in place a permanent institution in Austin dedicated to preserving the indigenous plants and landscapes of the hill country.

Today, the renamed Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, is located several miles south of downtown Austin, and is a part of the University of Texas. Its 279 acres is open to the public, and provides a peaceful and aesthetically attractive location highlighting the native plants and landscapes of the hill country. The architecture of the buildings reflects the history of the hill country, and over 600 native plants are found on the grounds. A beautiful courtyard, and several streams, highlights the gardens. Center volunteers swarm around the grounds and gardens, pruning, clearing, cleaning, and answering visitor questions.

Various non-strenuous walking trails wind through both forests and meadows, and there are conveniently placed benches to provide both rest and meditation along the way. There is a visitor’s center, a learning center building displaying changing special exhibits, a library, green houses, seed silos, and an auditorium. If you are hungry, there is a cafe for lunch. Overlooking everything is an observation tower from which you can look down upon the center’s gardens, grounds, and buildings.

While the flowers you will see in bloom will depend upon the season you visit the center, a visit in any season will provide great fun and satisfaction, even if you are only remotely interested in native hill country plants. My wife and I again visited the center a couple of days ago, and during this very late October visit, we enjoyed seeing many native plants including the Texas Poinsettia and the American beautyberry. Monarch butterflies were everywhere, and this only added to the enjoyment of our day.

There is always a bonus after spending several hours walking through the gardens, trails, and grounds of the wildflower center. A large gift shop, which offers hats, shirts, wildflower note cards, books, and other things, is a nice place to browse. The books about the hill country are my weakness. There are always more books I want than I have money in my pocket. But, I always manage to buy at least one.

Thank you Lady Bird for all you did to preserve the native wildflowers, plants, and landscape of the Texas Hill Country. You, and your many gifts to this area, are not forgotten by those of us who never had the pleasure of meeting you.

Fredericksburg, Texas

A visitor to the Texas Hill Country needs to pay a visit to Fredericksburg to make the journey complete.

Fredericksburg’s history, like so many things in the hill country, is both based and intertwined with the strong German influence of the region. Today, it is without a doubt, the most visible and important town representing the German history of the area. Coming in from the east, if you stop at all the interesting places along U.S. Highway 290, you might never make it to Fredericksburg.

If you are a history buff, then once you drive into Johnson City, the highway almost literally becomes the history of President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s life. His birthplace, the first school he attended, his grandfather's home, the LBJ Ranch and Texas White House, his grave and that of his wife, "Lady Bird," are located near Stonewall. The Johnson family ancestral settlement and his childhood home located in Johnson City, along with the prior mentioned Stonewall sites, are all on the way to Fredericksburg.

Vineyards, wineries, peach orchards, and pecan trees are found on both sides of the highway. Peaches can be purchased at fruit stands in season, along with locally grown berries, nuts, and vegetables. The various wineries have tasting rooms and wine sales. Several places sell homemade peach ice cream. I don’t need to describe how well that goes down on a hot day.

Closer to Fredericksburg is a place to visit called Wildseed Farms, which touts itself as “The Largest Working Wildflower Farm.” And speaking of wildflowers, traveling on Highway 290 during the spring when the wildflowers are blooming is magnificent, and once seen, will not be forgotten.

Just on the eastern edge of Fredericksburg is Fort Martin Scott. The fort was one of the early military posts on the Texas frontier, and now provides the visitor a view of U.S. Army life long ago. The fort is named after a soldier who was killed during the War with Mexico in the late 1840's.

If you are the type of person that likes to stop and look at everything (and we know who we are, don’t we?), don’t expect to stop at every interesting point, historical site, and market along the highway and still think you’re going to make it through everything Fredericksburg has to offer in one day. The speed limit is 70 miles per hour for most of the trip, but that won’t help you. But that’s okay, because Fredericksburg has plenty of lodging, including Bed and Breakfast accommodations.

The historic area of Fredericksburg lies along both sides of the highway, and it would be hard not to appreciate the old historic buildings and covered sidewalks, even if you’re not an architect or historian.

Fredericksburg is also the birthplace of Admiral Chester Nimitz, and you can visit his birth home, which is now home to Grace’s Art Gallery. The National Museum of the Pacific War is also located in Fredericksburg, given the obvious historical tie to Admiral Nimitz.

Most folks visit Fredericksburg to shop. Unlike a lot of so-called tourist towns, this is not a place to pick up cheap t-shirts. The shopping in Fredericksburg is diverse, and interesting, and includes any number of shops selling antiques, books and maps about Texas, artwork, and, clothing. Vegetables, fruits, and other foods, preserved in Mason jars, are also for sale. In my opinion, some stores are a bit pricey, but you are certainly free to browse. The shop owners, like most people in the hill country, are very friendly.

There are a lot of fine restaurants in Fredericksburg, with a lot of delicious German-oriented food. If you are not a fan of that, then anything you would normally order is readily available and quite good. You can also enjoy live music while savoring a drink at several places around town, and there are various festivals held throughout the year.

Well, I’ve rambled on long enough. But, this should be fair warning if you are planning to visit. Unless you are the kind of person that doesn’t stop at anything and just hurries past things to say you’ve been there (and you know who you are, don’t you?), slow down, take a couple of days, and experience the highway into and around Fredericksburg. You won’t regret it.