Galvanized by swaths of bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) coloring Austin’s urban roadsides, I drove east on Thursday morning to wander the dirt roads of Industry, a berg of around 273 people. There I found farmsteads in rolling fields of denim blue.
The bluebonnets are showing off this spring, blooming a couple of weeks ahead of schedule and in abundance thanks to winter rains, at least around Austin and to the east and south. I don’t know if the Hill Country west of Austin has turned blue yet. If anyone reading this has a recent report, please share.
I’d never been to Industry, but it did not disappoint. The bluebonnets along its back roads are grand right now.
Other wildflowers are looking lovely too.
Bluebonnets mingling with Indian paintbrush and pink evening primrose
And with a tall yellow flower
Indian paintbrush and a weather-sculpted tree
Ka-pow! So many bluebonnets!
A Texas-proud gate sets the scene…
…for a sea of bluebonnets.
Bluebonnets and paintbrush
Another bucolic scene
And another lone star design
Horses and bluebonnets make a picturesque view.
One more
A weathered old building glows in the morning light.
Someone’s been cruising in this field of paintbrush.
Spring greens and a smattering of bluebonnets and pink evening primrose
I saw a cute calf and its mama lounging in blue flowers.
It looks like there’s a twin lying down.
A windmill beyond a field of blue
Indian paintbrush stands tall amid bluebonnets
Waves of blue
I was crawling slower than 30 mph to enjoy the flowers.
This field pops with magenta and yellow wildflowers in addition to bluebonnets.
Butterflies were swooping over the flowers.
Some fields were colored more subtly, including with green-and-copper prickly pear.
Layers of color
Paintbrush and bluebonnets
More
And more!
OK, one more
If you have time this weekend and can swing east, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
In fact, your heart might sing.
Go get your wildflower fix if you can.
Happy spring!
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Digging Deeper
Tour season kicks off with the new Austin Home’s Great Outdoors Tour on March 25 from 11 am to 4 pm. Visit 7 designer landscapes for $20, and gather ideas for your own outdoor living space.
Shop for native Texas plants at the Wildflower Center’s spring Native Plant Sale. Held on Fridays through Sundays, March 24 to May 7, from 9 am to 1 pm. The first weekend is just for Wildflower Center members, so join to enjoy this perk, plus get free admission all year and more.
Experience the Surreal Garden at Zilker Botanical Garden, an enchanting neon-art display throughout the gardens, with food and drink, music and dancing, surreal performers, and interactive art sculptures. Surreal costumes encouraged! 25% of event proceeds benefit the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy. Runs April 6 (VIP Night), April 7-8, and April 13-15, from 6:30 pm to 11 pm.
Add to your succulent collection at the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Spring Show & Sale on April 15 and 16, from 10 am to 5 pm, at Zilker Botanical Garden. Come enjoy the plant show, shop for unique plants and pottery, and participate in a silent auction and raffles. Free with paid admission to Zilker Botanical Garden.
Tour 9 designer landscapes on the 2023 Austin Outdoor Living Tour on May 6. Designers and builders will be on hand to answer your questions. Cost is $33.85 for adults and $17.85 for kids aged 12 to 17. For safety, no one under 12 years of age except for carried infants.
Come learn about garden design from the experts at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, and authors a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance. Simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 7 starts in August. Stay tuned for the lineup!
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