Louisiana garden show season nears

BATON ROUGE — The LSU AgCenter has announced the spring lineup of garden shows. The shows will kick off in this month and continue into June in Hammond, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Alexandria, New Orleans Covington, New Orleans and Thibodaux.
March 14, Hammond
The Hammond Spring Garden Day will be held, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 14 at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station at 21549 Old Covington Highway, La. 1067 just off U.S. 190.
This event is open to the public and all interested persons are invited to attend. It will feature kids’ activities, plants sales, gardening seminars, gardening and agriculture exhibits, and concessions that will include homemade items.
Admission to the event is $5 per vehicle. Bring nonperishable foods for the food drive will benefit the Tangi Food Pantry.
For more information contact Melissa Ordoyne at 985-748-5462.
March 14-15 in Baton Rouge
The 13th Annual Baton Rouge Spring Garden Show is set for 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. March 14 and 15 at the John M. Parker Coliseum on Highland Road in Baton Rouge.
The show includes local nurseries and other vendors selling plants and other garden wares, including tools, pots, ornaments and landscaping materials.
LSU AgCenter horticulturist David Himelrick said the floor of the coliseum will be transformed into a world of plants and gardens for the event.
“At this year’s show, you also will be able to walk next door and talk to some of the world’s best chili cooks at the ninth annual Louisiana State and Regional Chili Cook-off,” Himelrick said.
In addition, visitors can visit the sixth annual Baton Rouge Spring Car Show and the event’s second annual Koi and Goldfish Show.
Children’s activities also will be available.
For more information contact Himelrick at 225-578-2222.
March 20-21 in Covington
The 2015 Northshore Garden and Plant Sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 20 and 21 at the Covington Fairgrounds.
The show will have educational presentations at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. LSU AgCenter personnel and industry professionals will speak on topics such as backyard poultry, weed control, irrigation and garden diseases.
Admission is $5 per person and children under 12 enter free.
Proceeds from the show will fund the Bobby Fletcher Sr. Memorial Scholarship, a monetary award for a St. Tammany High School graduate who attends a Louisiana college to study agriculture.
For more information call William Afton at 985-875-2635.
--By JOHNNY MORGAN
LSU AgCenter
March 27-28 in Lake Charles
The Southwest Louisiana Garden Conference and Expo 2015 will celebrate its 16th annual show and plant extravaganza from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 27 and 28 at Burton Coliseum at 7001 Gulf Highway in Lake Charles.
Educational programs will include home vegetable gardening and fruit production on March 27, and ornamentals and landscape gardening and herbs on March 28.
The event will include a plant health clinic with LSU AgCenter experts and Master Gardeners to answer gardening questions. Vendors will have many plants and gardening-related items for sale.
The Garden Expo is a wholesome, educational environment and the perfect activity to bring together friends and families, said LSU AgCenter extension horticulturist Robert Turley.
Admission is $3 for adults and children 12 and under are admitted for free.
For more information, visit www.gardenfest.org or contact Turley at 337-475-8812.
April 10-11 in Alexandria
The second annual Central Louisiana Garden Expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 10 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 11.
The garden expo will be held at the State Evacuation Shelter on U.S. 71 south of Alexandria.
It will feature vendor booths with lawn and garden items, educational gardening seminars, plants and supplies, question and answer booth, garden clubs and plant societies, and Master Gardener demonstrations, said LSU AgCenter agent Sara Shields, who is coordinating the event.
“The purpose of the expo is to let the gardening public know where to obtain gardening products, services and accessories; where garden clubs are located in the central part of the state; to educate the public on gardening issues; and to provide a place for sales that make available quality garden plants, products and accessories,” Shields said.
For additional information, contact Shields at 225-638-5533.
April 11-12, New Orleans
The 36th Annual New Orleans Spring Garden Show will be held at the City Park Botanical Garden 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. April 11 and 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. April 12.
Lee Rouse, Orleans Parish LSU AgCenter horticulture agent, said the show will feature plant and garden products, exhibits and sales throughout the garden, a kids’ discovery area, educational programs, music, and arts and crafts in the Azalea Garden.
Master Gardeners and LSU AgCenter horticulture experts will be available to answer questions from homeowners, who also may bring soil samples for analysis by the LSU AgCenter’s Soil Testing Lab.
Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-12. Children under 5 and members of Friends of City Park may enter for free.
For additional information, contact Rouse at 504-658-2900 or Sarah Bertrand at 504-736-6519.
June 6, Thibodaux
LaTerre Master Gardener and LSU AgCenter vegetable field day will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 6 at the St. Francis Vegetable Garden next to the Thibodaux Civic Center.
LSU AgCenter agent Barton Joffrion said it will include home and commercial demonstration gardens and vegetable growing contest for adults and youth and AgCenter experts on hand to answer gardening questions.
For additional information contact Joffrion at 985-873-6495