Spring Garden Tour 2026
The Friends of LSU Hilltop Arboretum invite the community to experience the 2026 Spring Garden Tour, “Garden Gems,” on Sunday, May 17 from 1–4 p.m. This year’s tour expands beyond a single neighborhood, offering a curated selection of private gardens across some of Baton Rouge’s most beloved and established areas, including Southdowns, Old Goodwood, Glenmore Place, and Walden.
Each garden on the tour reflects the unique character of its neighborhood while sharing a common thread: thoughtful stewardship, evolving design, and a deep connection to the Louisiana landscape. Set against backdrops of mature trees and long-established plantings, these gardens highlight how homeowners are refreshing and reimagining their outdoor spaces, blending timeless structure with Louisiana native plants to create environments that are both beautiful and ecologically rich.
Visitors will find inspiration in spaces designed for gathering, quiet reflection, and everyday living, where layered plantings, renewed beds, and inviting seating areas demonstrate how even established landscapes can be transformed. Many of the gardens emphasize habitat value, offering enhanced support for pollinators and local wildlife while maintaining a strong sense of place and livability.
Beyond the beauty of the spaces themselves, the tour offers a chance to connect with fellow gardeners and homeowners, ask questions, and exchange ideas. Whether making small improvements or undertaking larger landscape changes, “Garden Gems” provides practical inspiration rooted in real Baton Rouge gardens.
Featured Gardens
Southdown
Bertha and Travis Taylor — 3865 Hyacinth Avenue
Lourdes and Jay Pecot — 4325 Orchid Street
Aaron and Daniel Sheehy — 4121 Hyacinth
Old Goodwood
Chris and Sharon Werner — 904 Audubon Drive
Betty Whitt — 6593 Goodwood Boulevard
Glenmore Place
Mary and Steve Boutwell — 4252 Claycut Road
Debbie and Mark Wamsley — 4228 Claycut Road
Walden
Emily Stich — 1859 Applewood Road
Important Details for the Tour
- Day-of registrations will be accepted at all garden locations. Cash and checks accepted.
- You may visit the gardens in any order. (Map will be provided).
- Please check in and pick up your ticket at the first garden you visit.
- At each subsequent garden, please present your ticket before entering.
- Street parking is available in each neighborhood. Please be mindful of residents and posted restrictions.
- This is a self-guided tour; transportation between neighborhoods is not provided.