SAN ANTONIO – While life for them in the Big Apple normally can be a bit hectic, the pandemic has left Anne Dyas-Little and her husband, Jeremy Little, with a bit of free time on their hands.
The couple decided to use this time while their jobs are shut down to visit family in San Antonio and take in bluebonnet season.
“I hadn’t seen bluebonnets in about 19 years, since moving to New York. So I really wanted to come see them,” said Dyas-Little, who grew up in San Antonio. “It’s such a tradition to take photos with your kids and the bluebonnets.”
The couple are parents of an 18-month-old daughter, Corrie.
Will there be bluebonnets this year? How the February winter storm affected Texas wildflower season
They were hoping to make lasting memories, snapping some family photos among the flowers.
“They’re beautiful,” said Jeremy Little. “We’ve got lots of pictures of them around the house, but seeing them--I’m ready to see the field filled with them.”
However, it seems nature had other plans.
The usually-plentiful famous Texas flowers, so far, are hard to come by.
“Just a patch here and there,” Dyas-Little said.
Wildflower season is off to a slow start, and the reason may be more than just a wild winter.
“They are a little late. The weather did push them behind a little bit, but also we can contribute that to how dry we are,” said Scott Litchke, associate director of grounds and conservatories for the San Antonio Botanical Garden.
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Litchke says although the unusual ice and snow we have may seem like they would be to blame, the lack of rain is the real culprit.
“The most crucial time for Texas wildflowers is really September, October, November. That ‘s when they set their seed and they begin to germinate,” he said. “We had a blanket of snow which actually helped insulate the plants that were germinating.”
The frosty weather did take a toll on some trees, though, including citrus and palm, he said.
Moutain laurel and Mexican Plum are not expected to bloom at all, Litchke said.
The wildflower season will just call for a bit more patience this year, he said, but it still should be worth the wait.
“Don’t give up on the bluebonnets. They’re a little behind but they’re coming,” he said.
The Littles, meanwhile, decided to get their flower fix by making due with the current bluebonnet situation.
“They’re there and it’ll scratch the itch for now,” said Dyas-Little.