Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

First, go to our How To Articles for articles on the issues you wish to address, even though you are working on a very small scale. Next, just for fun, go to the Plant Database and scroll down to the "Combination Search." Click on Texas (for the state), herb (for habit), and bloom times of March, April and May. Okay, too much information, that gave me 729 possibilities, but you get the idea of how to narrow your search for specific plants. Next, let's try the Propagation Database. Each of these gives specific instructions on how to plant certain Texas wildflowers.

I chose several to look at, but some bloomed later in the summer than you specified. All of the following are native to Texas, grow well in our area, and bloom March to May. Castilleja indivisa (entireleaf Indian paintbrush), Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet), Oenothera speciosa (pinkladies), Phlox drummondii (annual phlox). Since these need to be planted from seed, you need to get going on it as soon as possible, no later than the middle of November. Please note in the articles on these plants in the Propagation Database the types of preparation that are necessary for these seeds. These are all annuals but if left undisturbed might reseed for next year.

If you also want some native grasses that might be ornamental in the space when the flowers are not in bloom, consider these: Sisyrinchium sagittiferum (spearbract blue-eyed grass) and Nassella tenuissima (finestem needlegrass). Understand, in both flowers and grasses there are many other possibilities, but now that you know how to search our Native Plant Database, you may choose others if you prefer.

Castilleja indivisa

Oenothera speciosa

Sisyrinchium sagittiferum

Nassella tenuissima