Dr. Raul Rosales is pictured in front of his wildflower garden with a sign stating: ‘This Is Not A Pet Rest Area.’ (Photo by Gloria Bigger-Cantu) Each day, Dr. Raul Rosales maintains his lush wildflower garden that blooms with about 26 multi-colored plants.

Walkers stop by and thank him for creating an area in the city that probably remind them of flowers in the Texas hill country.

Rosales landscaped the front of his yard and planted the wildflowers about six years ago and designated this circular area as the “Wildflower Garden.” Underneath this sign is another message that states: “ Not a Pet Rest Area.”

However, some dog owners disregard the sign and their loose dogs trample on the wildflowers. Often large outdoor dogs roam on the yard and also mess on the manicured yard that Rosales has maintained throughout the years.

Rosales said he would appreciate if the dog owners would keep the dogs out of his yard.

Colorful Blanket Flowers, Corn Poppies, and Blue bonnets bloom prolifically in the Wildflower garden cultivated by Dr. Raul Rosales in his front yard at 1128 Cypher. (Photo by Gloria Bigger-Cantu). “People should take care of their dogs and have them leashed,” said Rosales, a retired Kingsville Independent School District superintendent. Rosales pointed out there is a city ordinance on leash laws.

Rosales decided to plant the wildflowers in front of his home because there was a spot where grass would not grow. He cleared the area and decided to plant wildflowers because he wanted something different. Soil preparation is an important factor in cultivating plants. One of his neighbors saw him working on the soil preparation and came by to help him

Wildflowers are low maintenance plants except for pulling the weeds, according to him.

“This year the wildflowers had prolific growth because of the rain,” Rosales said.

He continues to receive much praise for his wildflowers and people often stop by and ask him where he bought the seeds and Rosales

gives them the website.

Kingsville natives Rosales and his wife Margot, a retired teacher, have lived at 1128 Cypher since 1995.

He planted one fourth pound of Texas/Oklahoma wildflower mix that contained seeds of these flowers: Texas Bluebonnet, Indian Blanket, Scarlet Flax, Tickseed, Lemon Mint, Purple Coneflower Drummond Phlox, Cornflower, Rocket Larkspur, Baby Blue Eyes, Ox-Eyed Daisy, California Poppy, Yellow Cosmos.

Other wildflowers are Baby’s Breath, African Daisy, Plains Coreopsis, Clasping Coneflower, Blackeyed Susan, Tuber Vervain, Corn Poppy, Toadflax, Dwarf Red Coreoposis, Standing Cypress, Showy Primrose, Mexican Hat, Texas Paintbrush.