The Piney HIlls Louisiana Master Gardeners held their annual garden tour, Trails & Trellis, on May 20. This year there were three exquisite and meticulously maintained landscapes for gardening enthusiasts and nature lovers to explore.
The home of Kelly and Glen Warren is situated on almost 18 acres of a peninsula which extends into Lake Bistineau. Walking beneath the Spanish moss covered trees across the lush lawns while listening to the calls of birds and insects was a truly peaceful experience. Beds of brightly colored flowers and potted plants dotted the grounds, and the home itself — which perches on the edge of the lake — harmonized beautifully with the landscape.
Sara McDaniel’s home on McDonald Street in Minden, which was built in 1926, has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Starting with its bright yellow door, this home and its grounds are full of riotous and cheerful colors. The coziness and charm of this place encourages you to kick off your shoes and walk barefoot in the grass. There’s a sense of being in a secret garden even though you’re only a few blocks from downtown.
The final garden of the tour was the home of Nancy and Mike Sanders. The lovely two-story house, fronted by white columns, evokes a sense of a plantation house but with the warmth of a family home as it watches over the rolling fields below. It is located on the last piece of land used for cotton farming in Claiborne Parish. Gorgeous beds of flowers and other plantings surround the home, and meticulously groomed shrubbery was found on every side.
Trails & Trellises serves as a testament to the Piney Hills Louisiana Master Gardeners’ dedication to sharing the joys of gardening with the community. The Piney Hills Louisiana Master Gardeners are an integral part of the Louisiana Master Gardener program. This initiative, offered by the LSU AgCenter, recruits and trains volunteers to address the educational needs of home gardeners while providing a rewarding service experience. For more information, go to their website at www.phlmg.com.