Where the Wildflowers Are in Texas Hill Country

Spring is wildflower season in the Texas Hill Country, when roadsides and meadows are ablaze with ribbons of color. In 1901, bluebonnets were dubbed the official state flower, and each season these blue beauties draw flower gazers and photographers looking to capture their unique beauty. In bloom for only about a month, bluebonnets typically start blooming in the last week of March and peak by the first or second week of April. But wildflowers of many  charming varieties – primroses, buttercups, Indian paintbrushes and more – bloom throughout the spring and summer. So it's never a bad time to visit if you're looking to catch a glimpse of this cascade of color. In 2021, wildflowers will bloom a little later than normal as an unseasonably cold February slowed down the growth leading to the later bloom. 

Locals here in Comfort will tell you to travel north to the Willow City Loop for some of the most spectacular wildflower viewing in the Lone Star state. This breathtaking 13-mile scenic drive takes you on gravel, unpaved road through the rugged Texas Hill Country landscape. The iconic loop provides the quintessential Texas wildflower display, where you're surrounded by blue, yellow, red, purple and pink perennials. If you want an iconic photograph of fields of bluebonnets, this is where you'll get your million-dollar shot.

As you make your way back to your retreat at Hotel Giles, stop at Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, the largest wildflower farm in the United States with more than 200 acres of well-maintained wildflower fields. Here you'll find rows and rows of bluebonnets, poppies, lantanas, and more. Explore the walking trails and gardens, take photos, and enjoy a beverage at their beer garden and wine tasting room. There is no charge for admission. The Wildflower Market Center is open year-round, seven days a week.

"Where flowers bloom, so does hope." —Lady Bird Johnson