Texas bluebonnets get all the attention
Every visitor who steps into the back yard—mostly non-gardening friends—exclaims over the handful of Texas bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis ) blooming in the raised beds.
Maybe they get all the attention because they’re our state flower, and every Texan has either posed herself or her children (or even pets!) in a field of bluebonnets, a springtime ritual along roadsides in better bluebonnet years. Our 18-month drought has unfortunately dented this year’s roadside bluebonnet display. I’ve only spotted small clusters along the highways this year instead of the usual blue carpets.
Maybe they get so much attention in my garden because they’re planted high enough to really see them, and even smell them, without having to crouch low to the ground. In the raised beds, they’re standing about four-and-a-half feet off the ground.
As for myself, I’m enjoying them much more now that I’ve plucked out the crazy pink bluebonnets. I know, some of you loved them, but I really didn’t care for the blue and pink combination. Now the pinkies are gracing my windowsill as cut flowers, and the real bluebonnets have more room to shine.
I’m sneaking a rose picture in here simply because the first Knock Out ‘Radrazz’ bloomed yesterday. Yea, roses again!
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I’d say the attention is well deserved Pam! They are so pretty. I just love blue flowers. I did like the pinkbonnets too – how nice they’re gracing your windowsill.
The rose is gorgeous and entitled to lots of attention too.
Happy Spring!
I had to purchase new bluebonnet plants this year, as I likely dug and planted over last years. But they haven’t bloomed yet. I moved them (in a pot) around this morning, thinking it wasn’t getting enough sun. So we’ll see. Your bottle tree is so beautiful. That cobalt blue just shines in the sunlight.
Brenda
Pam, They are delightful to look at…and up higher, makes them so much easier to enjoy. No lying on a yoga mat to photograph them either! The pink were fun, but definitely not blue! gail
Pam,thanks for posting the bluebonnets!!! There are some things one misses about being in Texas– and bluebonnets in the spring is certainly one of them. THANKS!
No kidding about the drought putting a dent into the Texas wildflower production this spring. All of my wild bluebonnets are so small that they have no chance of blooming this year & hence there will be no seeds to start new ones for next year. I guess I’ll just have to spread seeds into the fields again to get them restarted. Good news is that we may have a cooler and wetter summer than normal. Wouldn’t that be a blessing?
Your new garden is really coming along. It is starting to reflect your special influence and style. I look forward to all the new developments to come.
Carol
Carol, I hadn’t heard about the prediction for a cooler, wetter summer. Boy, would I love to see that happen. —Pam
That’s so sad about the drought. I can remember when we were touring round Texas a few years ago, we were absolutely entranced by fields of bluebonnets. On one occasion we drove over the brow of a hill and saw what we thought was a lake in the distance. It turned out to be bluebonnets, growing so thickly it looked like a piece of sky had dropped down on the ground. I even brought some back to London to see if I could grow them in my garden, but I had absolutely no luck. Hopefully I’ll get back to Texas “come some sweet bluebonnet spring”.
Victoria, what a wonderful, blue vision that must have been! We won’t see anything like that around Austin this year, I’m afraid. But there’s always next year. I hope you do get back to Texas some sweet bluebonnet spring. —Pam
Beautiful blue!
Cameron
Pam, head out to College Station and you’ll find those carpets of bluebonnets. Highway 6 is nearly covered with them north of Bryan. We apparently got that good soaking rain last week just in time to make the blooms spectacular, even though all other signs of drought are present in quantity.
Thanks for the tip, Karl. I’m glad some parts of Texas are seeing a good display this year. —Pam
Pam,
Lovely thoughts of fields of blue bonnets. Really liked your bottle tree. Closest thing to being in a field of blue bonnets is being in a valley next to a beautiful creek and the ground is covered with Virginia Bluebells in full bloom.
Ah! This is convenient: http://www.theeagle.com/local/75-year-old-rescued-after-crash
You can see the beautiful carpet of bluebonnets on our freeways in that nice picture of the firemen extracting someone who shouldn’t have been driving from their car. 😉
Ka-pow! That is an incredible display of bluebonnets. What a shame about the wreck, but it’s the most picturesque accident coverage I’ve ever seen. —Pam
I like the blue ones best too — they’re so beautiful. What is the fragrance you’re referring to? is it flowers or foliage? For some reason I’m thinking the foliage has a peppery smell.
The flowers actually have a subtle but sweet fragrance, Sweet Bay. I never knew until this year, when I planted them up in the raised beds. —Pam
I am amused by the thought of you pulling out the non-conforming redbonnets lol Your bluebonnet beds sound lovely!
Hi Pam, that is funny that you plucked the pinkies out! HA Hooray indeed for that first rose bloom too. Now that is a sign of spring no matter where you live. Maybe your non gardening visitors comment on the bluebonnets because they can identify them? Or maybe because they are just so pretty. Four feet off the ground is a good way to admire any flower though. Are there other taller spires that could go in that bed for admiration after the bluebonnets are finished blooming? It seems like a good showcase spot.
Frances
I’ll probably put white narrowleaf zinnia in there afterward. It always looks so nice with the silver-blue agaves in the heat of summer. —Pam
Wasn’t it you who had the red bluebonnet last year, Pam? Did you move that from your old house, or save seed? Or did it come back? Or have I got my wires crossed? (I’m too lazy to go back to last year and rummage around). Either way, I dream of seeing bluebonnet waves for real; they’re sort of like the floods of lupins we get here, but still a bit different.
Lol I answered my own question, sort of–duh! I scrolled down past the last two pictures because I’m on the way out the door, and there was the pink one. I thought it was more red than that, but obviously not. (and I still like it, pink or red or not-blue as it might be!)
Yes, you found it. I bought a mislabeled pack of bluebonnets last year and was surprised when they turned out to be pink. This winter I brought over some seedlings from the old garden, not knowing if they would be blue or pink. I ended up with some of both. —Pam
I’m encouraged to see a few more bluebonnets appearing after the rain but it is a disappointing showing after the last few years. This year other natives will get their chance to shine. I’m glad you took out the pink. I saw one at the WFC the other day. Of course it is always something to talk about with the visitors. I’m afraid I had to pull out some bluebonnets yesterday as they have attained a 4′ diameter and were threatening the plants growing underneath. Now if only they would grow to that size on the septic field… Your knockout is early putting out a first bloom- such an appropriate name.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a Lupine. I don’t have your wild bluebonnets but I do make up for it with plenty of garden lupines.
🙂 the bottle tree is a nice Bluebonnet totem.
The Bluebonnets are lovely. I like them more than our Desert Bluebells! My roses are ready to bloom, probably tomorrow. They’d better hurry, it’s getting hot fast, and the outer petals get burned before they can fully opened. It’s already happening with the one bush with the most sun exposure.
Aiyana
Pam — I just put a contract on a house in New Braunfels hill country and have never had to worry about deer for flowers but we will be among the wildlife and before I spend a ton of money on landscaping (we will be doing the labor ourselves), I want to learn what is best for this area. Any suggestions? Thanks, I love your website! Pamie
Congrats on your new house, Pamie. Like you, I’m gardening in deer country for the first time. Deer in different regions may eat different things, but check out the online guides at Grow Green and the Wildflower Center for deer-resistant plants. —Pam
LOL! Pam, it gives me such a kick that you dislike those pinkies. 🙂 Now whenever I see lupine even in CA I think of you!
The Texas Bluebonnet Girl. I bet they stand out because you have such a place for them in your heart!
That is one flower that grows in the fields all over here but I’ll be darned if I can get it to grow in my garden! Maybe I should try again!
Did you know?
That red flag signals that the flower has been pollinated. Bees will ignore the red flowers and concentrate on the ones that haven’t been pollinated yet.
The relationships that nature has put together always amaze me!
My cousin from Weatherford sent me Bluebonnet seeds. I live in Western Pennsylvania and was wondering if I can get these to grow here? Any advice. It would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, Nancy. I’ve never lived in the northeast, so all I can tell you is what works here, but it may not be appropriate for your area: soak in water overnight and sow in fall in poor, gritty soil (decomposed granite is a perfect medium for them). Don’t overwater or crowd them with other plants. They like full sun and open spaces. You might contact Mr. Smarty Plants at the Wildflower Center’s website for specific info for your area. Good luck! —Pam