The Northwest Louisiana Master Gardeners will hold their annual spring garden tour, Le Tour des Jardins on May 7 and 8, 2016.
This year’s garden tour will take you through eight beautiful private gardens throughout Shreveport. Tour hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 7, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 8. Advance tickets are $10 and can be purchased at any Citizens National Bank, or by calling the Master Gardener office at (318) 698-0010. Tickets may also be purchased at any garden on the days of the tour for $15.
Here is a glimpse of the gardens featured on the tour:
Judy and Pat Yates Garden. At the entrance of this Provenance garden, an American Holly tree surrounded by lamb’s ear and sasanqua greets you. Bright begonias, petunias and agapanthus lead you from the front porch to the garden gate. There you will see a fountain and outdoor kitchen surrounded by trees and flowers.
Ginger and Sonny Hall Garden. The front of the Hall’s New Orleans-style Provenance home is planted with an American holly tree and bright annuals. Enter the wrought-iron gate in the courtyard garden planted with an array of shrubs, perennials and Little Gem Magnolias. There are pots with palms, ferns and bird of paradise, and a fountain is surrounded by variegated ginger lily. The new outdoor kitchen and pergola provide a shady place to entertain.
Lisa Anzalone Garden. This Broadmoor garden opens with palms at the front door past azaleas, nandinas and ferns leading to the back gate. A free form pool is surrounded by plumbago, banana trees, elephant ears and much more. There are sweeping willows along the back fence with a surprise koi pond.
Carolyn Davis Garden. Enter the Apple Tree subdivision garden through the side wrought iron gate to an array of colors of plants and patio furniture. There are pots of topiary, an olive jar fountain, a great sunburst mirror to reflect it all, and a fabulous driftwood bench. Not to be missed is a gorgeous palm tree providing shade.
Peggy and Ronnie Crawford Garden. This Apple Tree subdivision brick patio garden opens from the wrought iron gate at the side and is filled with bright marine blue planters filled with magenta, red, white and blue flowers. There is a covered seating area, trellis with a blue glass accent and even a blue gazing ball.
Grace and Robert Poynter Garden. This Steeple Chase Shreveport Garden is filled with the owner’s woodcraft talents. Pass the huge oak tree under-planted with ferns in the front and enter the gate to see soothing colors and lots of greenery. Each turn leads to outdoor rooms with seating and birdhouses. There is even a pond surrounded by potted plants.
Marlene and Daryl Fultz Garden. This is our professional garden, created by Hooglands Landscape L.L.C. designer/homeowner, Mike Hoogland. This beautiful 12-acre Ellerbe Road estate welcomes you through the driveway with formal boxwoods and topiary, fountains, birdbaths, live oaks and Southern magnolia. The outdoor kitchen with brick floors also includes a stone fireplace and seating area, which overlooks the lake and a bridge. Along the backyard pathways are lined with ginger lily, topiary, elephant ears, ferns, camellias and much more.
Valerie and Mike Hoogland Garden. Enter this North Shreveport garden through a live oak alley from the front gate to the circle in front of a plantation-style home. There are native trees, sago palms, sasanqua camellias, sweet bay magnolia and much more. Stone walkways lead to the back where the family enjoys a large covered deck and an outdoor kitchen. Canna lilies and banana trees back a pond, and there is a barn, a sunny vegetable garden and a sunflower field all in view of the house.
A Garden Bazaar will be held during the tour at the Pioneer Heritage Center at LSUS, and while there, enjoy a tour of the Heritage Center Gardens, a project of the Northwest Louisiana Master Gardeners. Admission to the Heritage Center is free.
Proceeds from the garden tour fund future Master Gardener projects and help promote the Master Gardeners’ mission to enhance the quality of knowledge for gardeners in the community.
For more information contact the Master Gardener office at (318) 698-0010 or www.lsuagcenter.com/nwlamg.