Wildseed Farms is a gardener’s paradise. If you have ever grown flowers and particularly wildflowers, this is the place to go. In the spring the fields are ablaze with color. You can shop for seeds of all types. We had just come from Fredericksburg, a charming but not particularly dog-friendly town – in contrast to Austin where there are even dogs in the grocery store. I was tired of waiting on park benches, outside stores where my puppy was not permitted. Wildseed Farms claimed to welcome four-legged friends but we figured we should double-check.
I ordered my puppy to look cute then marched into the main building and approached a cashier. Her eyes lit up when she spotted the dog.
“Where exactly is my dog allowed to go?” I asked. The answer came in ooey-gooey tones that instantly cheered me up. “Absolutely anywhere she likes. She’s adorable.” We took the lady at her word.
We strolled through the grounds, past herbs and flowers for sale then down a series of winding paths that led us by the colorful trial gardens. Bambi, in case the name doesn’t tell you everything you need to know, is on the prissy side. This was the perfect place for her – no wayward dirt to taint the cleanliness of her paws and flowers hanging at her nose level. She sniffed until I was sure she was going to get pollen high. For the first time that day, she wagged her tail.
The folks at Wildseed Farms grow more than one hundred species of plants and flowers, although their specialty is wildflowers. The growing season runs from March through November and you can wander right up to the flower fields – there are two hundred acres of them – just don’t squish anything. The best time to visit is usually April, the height of the wildflower season. Wildseed Farms is part store, part nursery, and all farm. Each year it attracts 350,000 visitors, one of whom used to be Lady Bird Johnson.
If your dog has strong anti-feline feelings it might be best to leave him home. Wildseed Farms is ruled by a number of previously stray or abused cats. On our way back to the car, we spied a doggie drinking bowl and steered our dog towards it. As she was lapping away, we read the sign above the bowl: ‘water for your dog’s compliments of the Wildseed Farm cats’.
- Wildseed Farms is located at 100 Legacy Drive, Fredericksburg. It is outside of town just off the 290.
- Basic food and drink options are available on-site, in the Brewbonnet Biergarten.
- If you’re not headed towards Texas anytime soon, you can grow a wildflower garden at home. Just download their seed catalog or request one is sent to you.