Have you taken notice of the wildflowers that grow along the highway? Regardless of where you live in the United States, be on the lookout for these gifts of nature as you travel. Wildflowers…spreading joy naturally just may be God’s way of smiling on us while we travel along.
Recently, I was invited to join some friends at the antique show in Roundtop, Texas. At first, the invitation excited me because of the time I would spend with dear friends that do not live real close. After considering the time of year for the visit, I realized late March and early April is prime time for the Texas Bluebonnets that I have heard, seen and read so much about. This trip began to take on a whole new meaning. Antiquing and wildflowers…spreading joy naturally!
Artwork in Roundtop, Texas A memory of the beautiful Texas bluebonnets Antiquing in Texas never gets old.
The Texas Hill Country is known for its wildflowers, but if you are like me and you do not get that far into Texas, do not fret. These wildflowers can be found in and around much of Texas, especially south, southwest and southeast. The eye-catching colors I found were in LaGrange, Texas and even mixed in with the antiques in Roundtop, Texas.
After seeing so many wildflowers, I needed to identify them and of course, my curiosity grew and I wanted to know their history. I am sharing a little bit of what I have learned. I hope you will take time to read more about the beautiful wildflowers of Texas that are spreading joy naturally each and every spring.
Thanks to Lady Bird Johnson’s Highway Beautification Act of 1965, wildflower seeds were planted along roadways across the United States and especially throughout her home in the Hill Country. You can learn more about Lady Bird, native plants, and wildflowers by visiting the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas that she established in 1982. Thanks for leaving a legacy, Lady Bird!
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope,” said Lady Bird, a nature lover at heart.
Lady Bird Johnson
My Wildflower Findings
The bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas and is the wildflower we associate most with spring in Texas (at least those of us who are non-residents do).
The Indian paintbrush is easy to spot. It is typically red-orange and very vibrant. The legend of the Indian paintbrush tells of a Native American boy who did not have red paint to paint the sunset. He asked the Great Spirit for help and he was given red paintbrushes. After he completed his painting, he scattered the paintbrushes across the land and the Indian paintbrush flowers began.
The large buttercup is a sweet, fragrant flower. It grows low to the ground and in my opinion, tends to be overlooked and understated. This is the flower many of us can remember as a child. When it is picked and held under your chin, a yellow glow is given if you like butter. I can remember laughing about this as if liking butter was bad; now I know butter is also a gift that spreads joy naturally!!
The pink evening primrose (also called pink ladies) is the flower I saw while shopping the antiques in Roundtop, Texas. They are strong, resistant flowers and stood strong even amongst the tents and boots around the antiques. These flowers open in the evening and close in the morning in an effort to hold onto moisture.
Stay curious and be on the lookout for God’s gift of wildflowers…spreading joy naturally.
