SEAN FITZGERALD

If there’s one thing we know at Texas Highways, it’s that Texans love their wildflowers. Every year, we dedicate an issue to the state’s darlings. Though the showy buds of spring—bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush—are the most famous of Texas’ wildflowers, the state’s prairies provide blooms year-round.

For our cover story, photographer Sean Fitzgerald spent many years capturing blooms through every season to bring you a month-by-month guide of where and when to enjoy our native flowers. Last May, he got down on his stomach to photograph box turtles trundling beneath stiff greenthread wildflowers in Colorado City and bison grazing on the blooms at Caprock Canyon. In August 2022, he captured carpenter bees humming on prairie blazing star in Deer Park Prairie, owned by the Native Prairies Association of Texas. And in October 2022, he shot Maximilian sunflowers against the impressionistic backdrop of a controlled burn at the Clymer Meadow Preserve in Greenville. 

You’ll find wildflower stories springing up throughout the rest of the issue, from Georgetown’s famous show of red poppies to the efforts of DeWitt County’s citizens to resurrect its wildflower population. 

Buy a single copy of this issue at shop.texashighways.com, or start a subscription here.

We hope to see you on the road.

GLENN HARVEY

In “Game Changer,” senior writer Ian Dille wrote about The Texas Showdown, the state’s oldest and largest video game competition. Held each spring in Houston, the three-day event draws more than 1,500 competitors and spectators from across Texas and the country. This year’s event takes place March 28–30.

Illustrator Glenn Harvey brought the story to life with a blend of video game imagery, Texas landmarks, and cowboy flair, as seen in this time-lapse of his process.

An interview with a writer, photographer, or illustrator who contributed to the magazine.

SEAN FITZGERALD

Less than 1% of Texas’ original grasslands and prairies remain intact, so photographer Sean Fitzgerald hunted out the remnants of the ecosystems protected in out-of-the-way public spaces, conservation easements, and private land. While he sometimes catches macro images of micro blooms full of anatomical beauty, he mostly seeks to place flowers in the context of the world around them—framing blooms against animals, the sky, or buildings. “The story is the broader environment,” he says. “You can’t just view wild subjects in isolation, or you’ll think they’re all fine.”

We asked Fitzgerald about the process behind his photo essay, “Field of Dreams.”

TH: How did you first learn about the “pocket prairies” you photographed?

SF: I live in the very urban Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, and the medians on Elm Street near my house have native prairie wildflowers that bloom throughout the year. My wife and I also planted a native wildflower pocket prairie in the alley behind the old warehouse where we live. Last year we saw 10 monarch caterpillars hatch there. It’s fun. Just plant Texas natives and enjoy the show!

TH: How long have you photographed wildlife?

SF: I have been photographing wildlife for over 25 years. I used to travel the world, but most of my wildlife photography now is centered on Texas. We have some of the most diverse wildlife on earth, but too many of our wildlife habitats are under stress and falling to development. I try in my own little way to help tell that story.

TH: Do different flowers call for different methods of photography? What factors does flower photography depend on?

SF: In my view, photographers just need good light and something to say. The lighting part is easy—look for soft light early or late in the day, or wait for a big cloud at midday. The “something to say” part is a lot harder. My approach is to look at a scene and ask what kind of stories I see, from the "big picture" to the tiniest of details.
 
TH: Do you expect this year to be good for wildflower photography?

SF: Every year is a good year for Texas wildflower photography. Texas has an incredible diversity of native prairie ecosystems that bloom in stages throughout the year. The problem is knowing where to look because so little is left. A great way to see some of the few remaining Texas prairie remnants is to go on a tour with groups like the Native Prairies Association of Texas, Nature Conservancy, Coastal Prairie Conservancy, or Native Plant Society of Texas. They have organized tours that take people to some very special and unique places. 

SEAN FITZGERALD

Picture-perfect flowers bloom throughout every season, from Dallas-Fort Worth
prairies to the coastal plains

Kick off spring by completing the Round Rock Bucket List! From restaurants with Texas-sized hospitality to America’s Largest Indoor Waterpark, Round Rock is the place to be.

A monthly outtake showcasing the beauty of Texas.

SEAN FITZGERALD

Photographer Sean Fitzgerald took this colorful shot of a dickcissel perched above a field of yellow wild indigo on the Daphne Prairie in Mount Vernon, about 100 miles east of Dallas.

OSCAR CALVILLO

Among the blooming wildflowers and flittering monarchs at the National Butterfly Center in Mission, you’ll find Spike. The 22-year-old African spurred tortoise arrived at the center in 2013 after living with a Mission family as an exotic pet. Then in 2020, his enclosure at the center mysteriously caught on fire, leaving Spike with a burned shell (he’s in the process of receiving a prosthetic one). But Spike is a resilient fellow. Today, he roams the grounds, welcoming visitors, chomping on vegetables, and hosting his annual birthday party on Dec. 14. He’s an unexpected sight for travelers looking to experience the Rio Grande Valley’s prolific butterfly migration, but he leaves a lasting impression. A bench on the side of his
space reads, “One day I will learn to fly—Spike.” And if there’s anyone who can, it’s the toughest tortoise in Texas. —Danielle Lopez

Your insider’s guide to events, stays, and reservations to plan ahead of the curve for future travels.

Prepare your bike for Saturday morning rides through the park this summer at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. thc.texas.gov/events

Tickets are on sale now for TEXAS, Canyon’s annual musical presentation of Texas history. The show runs June-August. texas-show.com

Book a star party at McDonald Observatory to see the sky in cooler temperatures with knowledgeable guides. mcdonaldobservatory.org

Sign up to volunteer at coastwide cleanups with Texas’ Adopt-A-Beach program to help ready beaches for the summer. texasadoptabeach.org

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Texas Highways Magazine
6230 E. Stassney Lane
Austin, TX 78744

Published ten times annually by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Travel Information Division, Texas Highways, the official travel magazine of Texas, encourages travel to and within the Lone Star State and tells the Texas story to readers around the world.