'Tis the Season

Hays County Master Naturalists

For those who enjoy noticing the wonders of nature, any season is the season to delight in what is growing, what is blooming and what critters are around.

Soon, it will be a new season, bringing a new ambiance to the outdoors. The first day of winter, or winter solstice, is December 21. This is the shortest day of the year and the beginning of the winter season.

The Texas Hill Country has experienced a mild fall, and the area has finally had a bit of rain. Some flowering plants are still blooming, and the gentle rains have created the ideal environment for wildflower seeds to germinate. In my front yard, the aptly named indigo spires salvia and the Mexican bush sage are displaying their bright blues and providing nectar for a variety of pollinators, including Sulphur butterflies.

In our fenced backyard, other bloomers are safe from the hungry deer. The Turk’s Cap sports new red blooms; the Skeleton-leaf Goldeneye, bright yellow daisy flowers. My favorite backyard plant may be Gregg’s Mistflower. From one nursery plant, I now have three sizable clumps. On a sunny afternoon, it’s difficult to count the number of Queen butterflies enjoying this garden beauty. All these plants survived the deep freeze year and this past summer’s drought. Think of them when you plan to add to your landscape.

By the time you read this, we may have experienced that first serious freeze. Then, many perennials will be ready to be cut back and take their winter rest. But I’ll still have two yaupon holly trees with vibrant red berries waiting for the mockingbirds and other friends to come and feast.

If, like me, you enjoy noticing each season in our beautiful valley, here is a book for you: Nature Watch Austin, by Lynne and Jim Weber. This is a month-by-month guide to the natural cycles in our beautiful Texas Hill Country.