Through the ages, Mother Nature worked alone splashing the countryside with brilliant colors. Today, Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg lends a hand. John R. Thomas, Wildseed's founder and president, knows that color reigns on the vast, open fields along the highways. In 1983, there were very few sources for wildflower seeds; the seeds that were available were prohibitively expensive. The public's love of wildflowers and demands from landscape contractors and the highway department motivated Thomas to turn his sideline turf seeding business into a full-time wildflower farm. In addition, he developed a machine to plant the tiny seeds and another to harvest them. Then the new company pioneered the practice of planting wildflowers in rows on large acreage. Today, Wildseed Farms is the largest working wildflower farm in the U.S. At its Hill Country headquarters, the farm has more than 200 acres under cultivation. In Eagle Lake, its growing, packing and distribution center has another 800 acres under production. Wildseed Farms produces 88 varieties of wildflower seeds, which are available individually and as regional mixes, specialty mixes or custom blends. There is a growing market for top-quality wildflower seeds. The farm attracts the attention of people all over the country through retail sales, catalog sales and consumer education. At its Wildflower Market Center, seven miles east of Fredericksburg on Highway 290, fields of wildflowers bloom from March through October, boosting retail sales. More than 350,000 people a year stop by the Center. Visitors can explore walking trails, watch the farm staff work and take photos. In Pick Your Own fields, they can create bouquets. They can buy wildflower seeds and pick up one of the farm's award-winning and extremely informative catalogs.  And for shopping and sipping, there's a gift shop and a Brewbonnet Biergarten. Wildseed Farms has earned numerous awards and recognitions: Wildseed Farms Market Center won the 2001 National Garden Center Magazine Innovator Award for merchandising and management. Wildseed Farms' Alamo Fire Bluebonnet was selected the 2001 best of show Novelty Plant in Europe's Fleuroselect Trials. Wildseed Farms' owner and founder, John R. Thomas, was recognized by the Professional Agricultural Workers of Texas for outstanding Leadership in Agribusiness for the year 2000. Wildseed Farms' 2000 Wildflower Reference Guide and Seed Catalog won the Judge's award at the 13th Annual Florida Printing Awards presentation. Wildseed Farms Market Center Building was selected by the Texas Forestry Association as the winner of the "Excellence in Wood Design" commercial division award in 1999. Wildseed Farms' video, "How to Plant Wildflowers" , won the award of excellence in two categories at the 1999 Ideography Awards. Wildseed Farms' 1998 Wildflower Reference Guide and Seed Catalog was voted Best of Category at the 11th Annual Florida Print Awards. Wildseed Farms' Wildflower Reference Guide and Seed Catalog was chosen as a finalist in the 1998 American Catalog Awards. Wildseed Farms' famous Growers Guide to Wildflowers has been honored with the "Award of Excellence" given by the Printing Industries Association of Texas. Wildseed Farms is the world's largest supplier of Texas Paintbrush, Indian Blanket, Texas Bluebonnet and Lance-leaved Coreopsis seed in bulk. Wildseed Farms is the exclusive seed producer of the Laura Bush Petunia - rated as a "Texas Superstar" by the Texas A&M Agriculture program. Wildseed Farms consults as well as designs with leading landscape architects and highway departments throughout the United States to maximize the use of native and non-native flora. Wildseed Farms is the only company that has planted over 3,000 acres of wildflowers for beautification purposes in the South. Wildseed Farms' John R. Thomas, received the 2002 "Award of Excellence" from the National Garden Club, Inc. Wildseed Farms' John R. Thomas is a current panel member of industry experts for the monthly Garden Center magazine. Wildseed Farms, spearheaded by John R. Thomas, was the first company to use wildflowers in a successful erosion control experiment for landscape architects and the Texas Highway Department. Wildseed Farms' Regional Wildflower Blends were awarded the Seal of Approval from the member-tested National Home and Gardening Club