Wildflowers in Southeast Texas

The City of Beaumont, Jefferson County, Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, Texas Department of Transportation and some generous private landowners have joined together in a wildflower project for Southeast Texas, according to an article in the Beaumont Business Journal. The city and county prepared the area and the city planted a mix of 12 wildflower seeds.

The plantings are along Interstate 10 west into Beaumont. Past attempts have been spotty, since weeds tend to take over. The scalp cutting the crews did should help with that this time around.

This photo is of wildflowers in Western Jefferson County, planted by Jan and Travis McCall of Hamshire in a huge community project a couple of years ago. If you want to read more about Jan's project, check an earlier blog I posted.

Jan McCall's wildflowers

After two hurricanes, Jan McCall of Hamshire decided her little town needed some cheering up, something colorful to lift the spirits and bring beauty to the hamlet.

She began reading up on wildflowers, then visited with Wildseed farms in the Texas Hill Country. There are no garden clubs, city funds or workers available for beautification projects in Hamshire, so Jan spent $1,000 of her own money buying the right mix of wildflower seeds for Southeast Texas. Then, with the help of her husband, Travis, their children, local Boy Scout troops, and Ag group from Hamshire-Fannett High School and anyone else she could round up, the McCalls sprayed and killed the weeds along a 2-mile stretch of Texas 124, drug the old weeds away, planted seeds, then stomped them in. They used heavy equipment for the big stretches, but literally stomped the small areas in with their feet.

Then they waited. The wildflowers were glorious last spring and Jan got calls from people saying "Thank you" for making our town better. This year, as you can see from the photo above, the

One person can make a big difference in a small community. Next time you drive down 124 in Hamshire, think of Jan, and think of ways you might make something drab more beautiful with landscaping.