Houston in Bloom

Spring bucket lists, public gardens, and a DIY planting guide. Plus: A beginner’s guide to state parks, how arts programs are making a difference at a local jail, housing affordability, and our annual list of the Houston area’s top dentists.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

No Cover

Want to Know a Secret? Gallery Openings Are Houston’s Best Free Nights Out

Gallery openings have become an easy, social way to experience Houston’s visual arts scene, often with free wine and cheese included.

01/21/2026 By Craig Lindsey

Icons Only

The Top 10 Rodeo Houston Concerts by Attendance Numbers

Go Tejano Day draws in some of the rodeo’s most enormous crowds.

01/15/2026 By Sofia Gonzalez

The Must List

Hue:Man Shelter Project Brings Color—and Hard Truths—to Midtown’s Streets

This million-dollar initiative blends murals, training, and storytelling to challenge how we talk about homelessness.

11/20/2025 By Meredith Nudo

Eat & Drink

Wine about it

The Massive Wine Operation You Never See at Houston Rodeo

A behind-the-scenes look at the volunteers, judges, and logistics shaping one of the largest wine competitions in the country.

02/03/2026 By Sofia Gonzalez

Sip, Swirl, Spit, Repeat

What It Takes to Be a Wine Judge at RodeoHouston

Blind tastings and panel debates—here’s how experts evaluate wines at the Houston Rodeo's International Wine Competition.

02/03/2026 By Sofia Gonzalez

Behind the Line

The Dishwashers Who Keep Houston Restaurants Running

Often viewed as the lowest rung in restaurant kitchens, dishwashing is essential labor—and for some Houston chefs, the first step toward leadership.

01/15/2026 By Gabi De la Rosa

Jazzin’ it up

A New Jazz Club Breathes Life Into Montrose’s Tower Theatre

A reimagined jazz supper-club experience lands in Montrose with performances, seafood, steaks, and elegant cocktails.

12/03/2025 By Sofia Gonzalez

Sin Fronteras

Hugo Ortega’s New Restaurant Serves a Borderless Feast of ‘What Ifs’

Zaranda explores what Las Californias cuisine might look like if the region had never been divided.

11/17/2025 By Sofia Gonzalez

Editor’s Note

Spring in Houston Doesn’t Last, but the City Makes It Count

Rodeo season, baseball games, outdoor dining, and cultural moments collide during one of Houston’s most energized stretches of the year.

03/30/2026 By Brittany Britto Garley

Health & Wellness

Oral History

The Houston School That Built Texas Dentistry

A look at 120 years of UTHealth Houston’s School of Dentistry, where digital innovation, research, and community care continue to shape Texas oral health.

04/02/2026 By Brittany Britto Garley

Best of the City

Houston’s Top Dentists 2026

In need of a polish? Here are the metro area’s finest dental specialists, as evaluated by their peers.

03/24/2026 By Houstonia Staff

Time to relax

The Hidden Texas Spa Less Than Two Hours from Houston

At Ottine Mineral Springs, hot and cold pools bubble up from deep within the Hill Country, offering a luxury wellness escape without the airfare.

12/01/2025 By Gabi De la Rosa

Home & Real Estate

The Dirt

How to Start Composting at Home (Without Overthinking It)

A beginner-friendly guide to composting and vermicomposting, including what to compost and how to make it work in Houston’s climate.

03/25/2026 By Meredith Nudo

Houston in Bloom

The Ultimate Houston Planting Guide

Local experts share reliable plants, planting seasons, and garden strategies that work in Houston’s heat, humidity, and diverse soils.

03/23/2026 By Molly Glentzer

City Shift

Houston’s Hottest Neighborhoods Aren’t in Houston Anymore

Data reveals how affordability, housing supply, and climate risk are reshaping where Houstonians can afford to live.

03/16/2026 By Sofia Gonzalez and Brittany Britto Garley

Spring in Houston

Where to Find Houston’s Most Beautiful Public Gardens

These seven public gardens highlight Houston’s biodiversity during the city’s most beautiful season.

03/04/2026 By Claire Sewell

Outdoor Living

Houston Backyards Are Getting a Rethink—and Function Is Leading the Way

Local landscape architects say climate stress, kids, and dogs are changing how outdoor spaces are designed—and why resilient, flexible gardens are winning out.

01/23/2026 By Diane Cowen

News & City Life

Art & Justice

How Art Is Changing Life Inside a Harris County Jail

At the Harris County Women’s Empowerment Center, arts education is helping incarcerated women reclaim purpose, stability, and a path forward

04/13/2026 By Meredith Nudo

Spring Bucket List

How Houstonians Love to Spend Spring

Crawfish boils, Rodeo traditions, gardens, art events, and allergy survival. Here’s how locals make the most of spring in H-Town before the heat sets in.

03/20/2026 Edited by Erica Cheng By Houstonia Staff

Little Swimmers

Why Semen Is the Hottest Commodity at the Houston Rodeo

We mean from bulls, of course.

02/24/2026 By Meredith Nudo

Rodeo Rules

Yes Ma’am, No Ma’am: What’s Worth It (and What’s Not) at the Houston Rodeo

Houstonia weighs in on the food, rides, wine garden, concerts, and crowds that define rodeo season.

02/24/2026 By Sofia Gonzalez

Rodeo Gone Global?

Is the Rodeo Getting Too Big for Houston?

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has grown into a national destination, changing how the city—and longtime fans—experience a once-local tradition.

02/04/2026 By Erica Cheng

Art Start

For the Houston Rodeo, Western Art Is a Year-Round Endeavor

Every year, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo handpicks 40 high school artists to attend the immersive Western Art Academy in Kerrville, focused on technique, history, and culture.

01/22/2026 By Meredith Nudo

What’s in a Name?

"Don’t Call It Asiatown": Why Houstonians Can’t Agree on Chinatown’s Name

On Bellaire Boulevard, a nickname is more complicated than we think.

11/20/2025 By Erica Cheng

Bayougraphy

From Refugee to Jewelry Mogul: Daniel Dang's Rise in Houston

Before hip-hop's iconic Johnny Dang, there was his older brother Daniel—the jeweler who built a family empire from Bellaire Boulevard.

10/02/2025 By Erica Cheng

Style & Shopping

Cowboy Couture

Inside Houston’s Rodeo-Fueled Cowboy Boot Boom

As Western fashion goes global, Houston’s Rodeo culture keeps cowboy boots rooted in comfort, craftsmanship, and tradition.

02/19/2026 By Erica Cheng

Travel & Outdoors

Trippin’

Seguin, the Small Texas Town That Keeps It Real

Located just outside of San Antonio, this Texas town serves up some of the best barbecue and the biggest pecans in Texas.

12/15/2025 By Gabi De la Rosa

Nature, Nearby

Top 5 Texas State Parks Within 2 Hours of Houston

Trade traffic for nature—trails, lakes, and starry skies are closer than you think.

10/22/2025 By Saba Khonsari

Into the wild

A Beginner’s Guide to Texas State Parks

Campsites, maps, events, and family tips all considered—this guide makes your first state park trip easier.

10/16/2025 By Saba Khonsari