Welcome to The Dirt. In every issue, our anonymous writer will give you the dirt on your burning questions about the Amarillo area. Got something you’re just dying to know? Drop us a line at info@brickandelm.com, and our intrepid writer will dig up the answer.
I just moved to the Panhandle, and I miss looking forward to bluebonnet season. Are there local flowers or plants I can anticipate seeing around here instead?
Neighbor, this dirt talker understands the feeling. It’s unforgettable to sit on a Texas hillside in spring, breathing in the perfume from blankets of bluebonnets. But we don’t live in the Hill Country.
However, we’re both in luck! The Texas Panhandle has dozens of native flowers that start to unfurl in early spring and last through the end of summer. Our elevation and unique climate also allow us to enjoy species found in other parts of Texas, as well as closer to the Rocky Mountains.
If you’re looking for a similar shape to a bluebonnet, you might like our variations of blue sage, horsemint or cardinal flowers. Meanwhile, we also have butterfly weed (it’s pretty, so don’t let the name fool you!), golden tickseed (same!), false foxglove, Texas bluebells, and prairie sunflowers, among many others.
For those looking for native flowers with multiple uses, I’d be remiss not to mention prickly pear cactus and sand plum. Prickly pear flowers from April through June and sand plum blooms between March and April. Variably throughout June to September, both plants also offer fruit for things like drinks, jams and desserts! (Unless a late-April snowfall frosts our forage like it did in 2025, but that’s how it goes sometimes, leaving everybody, uh, plum out of luck.)
Where does one see this fabulous foliage? Prickly pear likes to be where it’s dry and sunny, and sand plum is found often along creek beds and rivers like the Canadian.
Meanwhile, we’re flush with options for wildflower walks, including Wildcat Bluff Nature Center, Lake Meredith, Palo Duro Canyon, or Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
If you’d rather take a drive, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has published maps of two local loops catering to roadside flower spotting, including routes around Lake Meredith (via Highway 136), and southward to pass through both Buffalo Lake and Happy.
I really want one of those horse statues. How do I get one? Can I commission someone to paint it? 
As it happens, both individuals and businesses have adopted “Hoof Prints” horses since the project began in 2002. While it might not be the best fit for your apartment patio, a 125-pound, life-size, fiberglass statue could suit your lawn—if you’re in the market for an American Quarter Horse but don’t want to shell out for things like boarding and food. (Pro tip: Make sure your HOA allows equine front-yard installations.)
Also, it will cost you $7,500 per statue. At that rate, you might even be paying within the range of what you would to purchase an actual American Quarter Horse, minus continuing care costs. Instead, that covers the statue, artist fee, concrete slab, installation, a dedication event (if desired), plaque recognizing the artist and owner, and photo on the Center City of Amarillo website. (Center City facilitates the project.)
If you’d like your own “Hoof Prints” horse, you’ll first need to contact Center City. After signing a contract and putting down a deposit of $3,750, you’ll be matched with an artist to start creating a design for the horse. Then, while it might take a few months depending on scheduling and statue supply, you’ll be well on your way to contributing to one of Amarillo’s most iconic community art projects.
