EBRPL Green – East Baton Rouge Parish Library InfoBlog

March Garden Discoveries

The Baton Rouge Botanic Garden Foundation will host a FREE Garden Discoveries series event,
“Creating a Bird-Friendly Yard,” at the Main Library at Goodwood on Saturday, March 9 at 10 a.m.,
led by Jane Patterson, an avid birder, amateur photographer, and Master Naturalist, who loves to share her knowledge of birds with others. When we think about bringing birds to our yards,
putting out bird feeders often comes to mind. And while feeders can be very effective, there are other ways to attract our feathered friends that will ensure a larger variety. This program will describe various types of bird feeders and bird houses, as well as water sources that benefit birds. Jane will also discuss gardening with birds in mind; offering plants that provide cover and nesting opportunities; and enticing food sources. Special focus will be given to the importance of using native plants in our home landscapes. Weather permitting, a tour will follow of the Baton Rouge Botanic Gardens adjacent to the Library. Registration is available at ebrpl.com/calendar, or call 231- 3750 for registration assistance. Learn more at ebrpl.co/garden.

EBR Master Gardeners

“Bees and the Plants They Love to Need” and “It’s Time to Get Rosy” will be presented on Thursday, February 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bluebonnet Regional Branch. Master Gardener Debi O’Neill is a native of Baton Rouge and has been a bee keeper since 2016. She is passionate about gardening and loves the wildflower gardens she plants in her yard that encourage and feed her bees. Come learn about the short life cycle of the bee and how their needs change with the season.
Perhaps you can help get things buzzing around Baton Rouge, too. Our second presenter is Master Gardener Carol Paine. She discovered a beautiful hidden rose garden in her first home and knew she must learn how to take care of them. She now has about 35 rose bushes in her yard and loves sharing her knowledge of them. Many people are afraid of roses because some do require special care, but today there are many varieties that are truly easy to grow. Learn about the wide variety of species, how and when to prune them, what diseases commonly affect them, and how to make them a centerpiece of your yard. These programs are free and open to the public. For more information on the 2023 Library Series and other outreach activities visit the EBRMGA website here.

Garden Discoveries: A Druid’s Garden: From Magic to Medicine

The Baton Rouge Botanic Garden Foundation will host a FREE Garden Discoveries series event, “A Druid’s Garden: From Magic to Medicine,” led by Art Scarbrough, on Saturday, February 10 at 10 a.m. He will share about herbs used in folklore and will describe magical plant practices through the ages with an emphasis on this season of love! Art is a member of the Baton Rouge Botanic
Garden Board, a member of the Herb Society of America, Master Naturalist, and practicing Druid. Weather permitting, a tour will follow of the Baton Rouge Botanic Gardens adjacent to the Library. Registration is available at here, or call 231-3750 for registration assistance. Learn more at here.

EBR Master Gardner February 1 Presentations

The East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners is excited to open its Library series on Thursday, February 1, at 6:30 at the Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Boulevard, with two exceptional programs, “Growing Tomatoes,” and “We are Being Invaded”.

Everyone loves homegrown tomatoes, don’t they? Well, one of our newest Master Gardeners, Tony Bourgeios, will share with you many of the things he has learned about growing them. Learn the varieties that he has found to succeed, and some of the secrets he uses to help them grow and produce more luscious fruit, as well as how to avoid the many problems commonly experienced in growing tomatoes. Does it make you drool to think of that fresh tomato sandwich?

The second program “We are Being Invaded” will be presented by Master Gardener Floyd Sones. Floyd has lived in Baton Rouge most of his life and is a retired educator with 37 years in our parish school system. He is a proud graduate of LSU where he earned not only a BS and an MS, plus 30 additional hours. He has always loved gardening and became a Master Gardener in 2019.

There are many invasive species trying to take over your garden. Many of these have a very destructive impact on our native plants. Floyd will identify many for you and tell you how to prevent or control them. Now is the time to get after them and make sure they don’t succeed in destroying your garden.

For more information on the 2023 Library Series and other outreach activities visit the EBRMGA website.

Revolution Natives

The Friends of Hilltop Arboretum will hold its annual symposium Resolution Natives: Ecological Restoration Meets Traditional Garden Design on Saturday, January 27, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Main Library at Goodwood.

What does it mean to live in a liberated landscape? Do you dream of ditching the weeding, fertilizing, and watering? Have you ever wondered how to make the shift from traditional garden design to ecological landscape design? Resolution Natives will explore what it means to have a successful garden – one that is rewarding, stimulating, and environmentally friendly, and how the incorporation of natives into the designed landscape can change the way you think about what a garden should do and be. Keynote speaker, Larry Weaner, will share his knowledge about environmental science and the traditions of garden design, expanding on his book, Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change. Dr. Malcolm Vidrine and Dr. Charles Allen will take us along on their journey of ‘Rewilding Acadiana’ and explore what it means to act in a manner that curbs foreseeable impacts of climate change while living in Louisiana, and how to select native plants to rewild your own property. Ashlee Brackeen and Caitlin Roberts of Swamp Fly Landscapes will provide insight on the creation and maintenance
of residential landscapes that bring ecological wonder and sensorial beauty while providing nourishment and connectivity to the nonhuman world. Several vendors will be in attendance and will provide resources, information, and an extensive collection of native plants for sale. Register by January 15 to take advantage of early registration pricing! Members of Friends of Hilltop Arboretum $60, Non-Members $70, Students $30. Late Registrations: Members $70, Non-Members $80, Students $35. For additional information and to register, here, email hilltop@lsu.edu, or call 225-767-6916.

Garden Discoveries: Urban Farming

The Baton Rouge Botanic Garden Foundation will host a FREE Garden Discoveries series event about “Urban Farming” at the Main Library at Goodwood on Saturday, January 13 at 10 a.m. led by Mitchell Provensal, Senior Program Coordinator, Baton Roots Community Farm. Did you know there is a vegetable farm right here in our city? Baton Roots is a community farm and gardening program located at BREC’s Howell Community Park. Our vision is to encourage everyone in our city to get growing and inspire a new generation of farmers/gardeners. Whether introducing children to their first vegetable plant, or reminding elders of the gardens of their youth, Baton Roots reconnects people to where their food originates and how it is grown. Tilled plots and waist-high
raised beds create opportunities for neighbors to grow, harvest, learn, and eat together. Our presenter, Mitchell Provensal, will discuss how the community farm works, activities happening at the farm, and the potential of urban agriculture in our city. Also, he will present tips and tricks for prepping your spring vegetable garden! Weather permitting, a tour will follow of the Baton Rouge Botanic Gardens adjacent to the Library. Registration is available here, or call 231-3750
for registration assistance. Learn more here.

The Seed Lady: How to Get Free Seeds for your Garden Bluebonnet Regional Branch

Meet with “Certified Pollinator Steward” Haleema Waddy-Cooper, also known as The Seed Lady, at the Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library on Saturday, December 16 at 10 a.m. for a discussion about how to obtain free seeds from the organic and heirloom seed companies for your 2024 gardens.

Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day

Time to get rid of those old hazardous materials and chemicals that pile up in the garage or in the back of cupboards! Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day is this Saturday, November 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Memorial Stadium Parking Lot. This event is for East Baton Rouge Parish residential waste only so commercial waste is not allowed. Items accepted range from cleaning products to batteries to cooking oil. See the complete list of items accepted.

Over the past 28 years, East Baton Rouge residents have safely disposed of over three million pounds of household hazardous materials through local collections like the one scheduled for this Saturday. There are many places where you can recycle household hazardous materials year-round. Looking for more information about recycling in Baton Rouge and who to contact? Head over to the Recycling Office website or contact the Mayor’s Recycling Office at 389-5194.

LSU Lakes Project

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has launched a master plan to save the lakes and make them an even better gathering place for the community.

The public is invited to presentations by four final teams that are vying to create the master plan. People at the meeting will have a chance to ask questions and to write up their comments to help the selection committee pick one planning team.

Meeting details: this coming Monday, June 30, 2014, at the Manship Theatre from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with an hour for lunch. Each team has nearly an hour to present, including time for a Q&A.

You can view the work of the finalists here.

If you are attending, you can RSVP by clicking the invitation below.

Also, the Foundation asks that you get updates on the Baton Rouge Lakes Facebook page or on Twitter @BatonRougeLakes. Click here for more information.