bluebonnet
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Bluebonnets Growing In Shredded Mulch
Not long ago, I put some shredded annual plants on ground that is in need of restoration — it’s north-facing, shaded, and eroded from roof runoff. I knew that the material I spread was likely to contain wildflower seeds (especially Bluebonnet and Firewheel aka Indian Blanket) but I don’t mind if they grow for now.… Continue reading
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The Next Chapter In The Wildflower Meadow
In March and April there was a surprisingly impressive display of Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) in the wildflower meadow in front of the house (see first photo in this post). It was surprising because elsewhere in Central Texas where we would normally see bluebonnets in fields and beside roadsides, the displays have been poor this… Continue reading
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Freaky Storm Event Yields Seed Gifts
We recently had a very heavy storm pass through, which brought 1.45 inches of much-needed rain. Accompanying the rain was hail and extremely strong winds. The hail and/or wind was enough to flatten some plants and tear a few small branches, but nothing serious. The winds were also fierce enough to blow open the large… Continue reading
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New Blooms In The Pollinator Garden
The pollinator garden in front of the house is waking up nicely and a number of things are now blooming. Most are perennials, which die back or lose their leaves during the winter break and then make new growth the next spring. Some are annuals, which grew from seed dropped last year. And note, this… Continue reading
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A Breakfast View Of The Front Garden
A few cold nights sent me to the east-facing front porch for breakfast where it’s sunnier in the mornings. So while I was there I took a few photos. I was supervised by our resident Barn Swallows. The female got the cozy nest, the male got to sit outside. They seem fairly accustomed to us… Continue reading
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White Variant Of Bluebonnet
Bluebonnets in the wild are typically blue. However, genetic variations can occasionally occur that cause the flowers to be pale blue, white, or pink. I have so many bluebonnets here this year that it is perhaps not surprising to see one such variant in my collection — this one has white flowers. In general, color… Continue reading
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Firewheels In The Meadow
The stars in the wildflower meadow in front of the house are undoubtedly the Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) at the moment, but coming soon is a display of Firewheel aka Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella). I see several buds and a few flowers. This was the first Firewheel bloom that I saw, on March 19. It… Continue reading
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Signs Of Spring
Spring is my favorite time of year. Almost on a daily basis I can see new life forming, either for the first time or emerging from its winter rest. This year, just when we thought we were finished with freezing nights, we had another round in February. So a few things that had already sprouted… Continue reading
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Bluebonnets — Good News and Bad News
I have been looking forward to this year’s display of bluebonnets in the “meadow” in front of the house since there are a much greater number of plants than last year. Last year’s plants produced plenty of seed and I’ve been watching the hundreds of new plants grow since November. They stayed close to the… Continue reading
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Some Bluebonnet History, And An Experiment
This post leans heavily on information from this page about bluebonnet history from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Texas actually has at least five state flowers and they are all bluebonnets. In 1901, the state flower was officially defined by the Texas Legislature as Lupinus subcarnosus (“generally known as buffalo clover or bluebonnet,” according to… Continue reading
About Me
Nature Lover.
Inquisitive Observer.
Student Gardener.
I invite you to join me on my journey to convert my sterile (from a nature point of view) new house lot to a healthy and diverse ecosystem, as I make discoveries, mistakes, and hopefully progress. I am not an expert or professional. The project started in February 2023 and the location is Seguin, Texas, USA.
Rewilding My Lot 