Where the Wildflowers Grow
Posted by Sprouts Staff
A Guide to Mother Natures Most Spectacular Wildflower Displays
Every spring Mother Nature paints her fields, meadows, mountains sides and deserts with vibrantly colored wildflowers. The blooms begin to peak their heads as early as March and continue to blossom through late fall. Winter weary people across the nation emerge from their homes and flock to the countryside to view the showy and abundant displays of color and bask in spring’s long awaited sunshine. Would you like to join them? Here is a list of some of Mother Nature’s best wildflower gardens.
Crested Butte - Colorado
The Wildflower Capital Colorado, Crested Butte is located in a remote valley high in the Rocky Mountains. Home to a week long Wildflower Festival every July, and surrounded by the Gunnison National Forest which boasts 1.2 million acres of wildflowers, Crested Butte is a wildflower lovers paradise.
Kaibab National Forest - Arizona
Located on the Colorado Plateau in Northern Arizona, Kaibab National Forest (elevation 3,000 - 10,418 feet) offers a magnificent display of wildflowers beginning in early March at lower elevations and peaking at higher elevations in April and mid May. Take a drive on the Kaibab Plateau-North Rim Scenic Byway to experience this unique area.
Cedar Breaks National Monument - Utah
Inaccessible from late Oct. through early May due to heavy snow, Cedar Breaks National Monument located near Cedar City in Southern Utah, host an abundant summer display of wildflowers. July visitors can escape the heat of Southern Utah’s lower elevations and experience lush alpine meadows and aspen forests. Cedar Breaks hosts an annual Wildflower Festival every July.
Hill Country Wildflower Trail - Texas
Located in central Texas, the Hill Country Wildflower Trail is made up of roads connecting the towns of Brownwood, Burnet, Fredericksburg, Goldthwaite, Johnson City, Mason, and San Saba. Wildflowers, including the beautiful Bluebonnet bloom from March through May, peaking in mid April. Many of the towns along the trail host annual Wildflower Festivals. No visit to the area is complete without a trip to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.
Roan Mountain State Park - Tennessee
Nestled among the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Roan Mountain is home to an awe-inspiring spring display of wildflowers including blooming Rhododendron. The community celebrates by holding an annual Rhododendron Festival every June. Visit the State Park and take a hike on one of its many trails to experience the wildflowers.
Wildflower gardening is not limited to Mother Nature. You can easily grow wildflowers in your garden or a windowsill pot. Local varieties of wildflower seeds can be harvested each fall and then replanted in your garden, or seeds can be purchased and planted. A unique way to start your wildflower garden is with Sprouts eco-friendly Plantable Seed Paper. “Our seed paper notecards, bookmarks, boxes and other products are embedded with a variety of easy to grow wildflower seeds,” says Sharon Quercioli, Sprouts owner and wildflower lover. “You simply plant them in soil, water them and watch as they bloom into a bouquet of colorful wildflowers.”
Visit Sprouts website to find out more about their unique product.
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