Story and Photos by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey In 1978, Charlotte Fanz found the perfect property to call home. It was a 4-acre tract with a cottage and a pasture and plenty of room for native plants, which are Charlotte’s favorites. It reminded her of the cattle ranch she grew up on. She brought her family to …
Story and Photos by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon “A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in – what more could he ask? A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars.” – Victor Hugo The woodland garden of Charles and Virginia Yarbrough in Baton Rouge is a garden after my own heart. …
The needs and rewards of a backyard wildlife habitat Story and Photography by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon If you appreciate wildlife and the outdoors like I do, then you may enjoy creating a wildlife habitat in your own backyard. You don’t have to have a large piece of land. Our first registered habitat, back in the …
Nature lifts the spirit and feeds the soul Story and Photography by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, rejoice, for your …
Story and Photography by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon The lovely imaginative lakeside garden of Ruth and Peter Kovacs in Baton Rouge’s Oak Hills Park is filled with many charming expressions of Ruth’s creative spirit. This unique tribute to fancifulness was one of the four gardens featured on Hilltop Arboretum’s 2018 Spring Garden Tour. According to Ruth, …
Choosing a garden style that complements you Story and Photography by Susan Albert Adding to an existing landscape or starting from scratch can be an overwhelming proposition. But it doesn’t have to be. By designing around a garden theme based on the homeowner’s personal style or ecological view, the task suddenly takes on new meaning …
Landscape designs that welcome pollinators to the garden Story and Photography by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon Attracting pollinators to the garden is an endeavor that every gardener should pursue. In addition to European honeybees and the multitude of native bees, many butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, moths, solitary wasps, and flies visit flowers to transfer pollen from the …
Put your time in the garden to good use … for science! Story and Photography by Allan Pulley Citizen science, also known as public volunteers assisting in scientific research, is open to anyone with a little time and interest in learning and participating in real-world scientific research projects. These programs, and there are many, help …
A one-of-a-kind refuge Story and Photography by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey In 1995, the Boswells discovered 43 acres with a mix of woods and cow pastures located in rural St Tammany Parish. Surrounded by sprawling horse and cattle farms, it was love at first sight. The acreage was exactly what the Boswells had been looking for to …
Don’t forget the animals By Dan Gill Although we gardeners mostly focus on plants, we must admit that animals are also a part of our gardens. Many of the animals that inhabit or visit our gardens are never noticed, some are noticed and appreciated, some are decidedly not welcome, and some are tolerated with affection. …
