|
It was enough to bring tears to the eyes and an ache to the heart. Mile after mile after mile void of bluebonnets. Every faithful spot that always has some bluebonnets, had none this year. The large field along 1181 just before Lone Oak drive that is always open to visitors was without bluebonnets and visitors.
In my experience, this is by far the worst year for bluebonnets in Ennis that I have ever seen.
The largest area of bluebonnets that I found along any route from Alma to Palmer to Bristol to Telico was this small area along Sugar Ridge Rd.
People were huddled in what appeared to be the last stand of bluebonnets in the land. It was the saddest sight I have seen.
This one area along with a few other small patches down the road were the only bluebonnets along Sugar Ridge Rd. Last year the entire field and both sides of the road were covered in bluebonnets.
The "bluebonnet boat dock" was solid green... Compare this photo last year
http://community.wildflowerhaven.com/photos/north_central_texas/category1017/picture2072.aspx
with this year's photo of the same spot.
http://community.wildflowerhaven.com/photos/north_central_texas/category1017/picture2365.aspx
Most of my favorite photo spots were covered with dead grass or other dead foliage such as this spot...
My theory is that last year's abundance of rainfall into early August left the area covered with tall dense grass or muddy ground. This probably ended up destroying or burying the plants from last spring. What few seedings that did germinate in the fall later were destroyed by mold or drowned by the recent above normal rainfall.
I saw many areas flooded with standing water and I could smell moldy grass along many of the routes.
The only wildflowers that seemed to survive were showy primrose, and cut-leaf groundsel.
Let us hope this is the "once in a lifetime" bad year for Ennis...
RichO
Hunting Texas Wildflowers
|