About Us
The Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners are part of an international volunteer program that began in Seattle, Washington in 1972 in response to a high level of interest in home gardening. The LSU Ag Center and Southern Ag Center Louisiana Master Gardener program started in 1997.
Lafayette Parish established a Master Gardener program in 1998. Each year approximately 30 graduates become certified volunteers. Our role is to help county agents deliver educational horticultural programs and information.
We are a highly active and dedicated group of volunteers. Our active members commit to a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service and six hours of continuing education each year, although many go above and beyond, contributing hundreds of hours of volunteer service annually.Our many educational outreach programs include Ask a Master Gardener, Garden Talk, School Garden Initiative, Speakers’ Bureau, Plant Propagation, Vermilionville Healing Garden and an annual PlantFest.
Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners developed and maintain a demonstration garden located at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Center on the UL Lafayette campus. The Demo Garden is an outstanding cooperative outreach program between the LSU AgCenter and UL Lafayette.
Also located at the Demo Garden is the Children’s Garden, developed in the fall of 2004 to help children learn the basics of gardening in a fun and educational way. It was awarded the International Master Gardener Search for Excellence Award for Youth in March of 2009. The Vermilionville Medicinal Garden (Le Jardin des traiteurs) has won 2nd place in the International MG Search for Excellence Award competition.
In order to fund our educational programs, we hold plant sales in the spring and fall. Our dynamic propagation team, which meets every Wednesday morning at the Demo Garden, propagates and lovingly cares for all plants sold.
We are proud to be Master Gardeners!
Lafayette Parish established a Master Gardener program in 1998. Each year approximately 30 graduates become certified volunteers. Our role is to help county agents deliver educational horticultural programs and information.
We are a highly active and dedicated group of volunteers. Our active members commit to a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service and six hours of continuing education each year, although many go above and beyond, contributing hundreds of hours of volunteer service annually.Our many educational outreach programs include Ask a Master Gardener, Garden Talk, School Garden Initiative, Speakers’ Bureau, Plant Propagation, Vermilionville Healing Garden and an annual PlantFest.
Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners developed and maintain a demonstration garden located at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Center on the UL Lafayette campus. The Demo Garden is an outstanding cooperative outreach program between the LSU AgCenter and UL Lafayette.
Also located at the Demo Garden is the Children’s Garden, developed in the fall of 2004 to help children learn the basics of gardening in a fun and educational way. It was awarded the International Master Gardener Search for Excellence Award for Youth in March of 2009. The Vermilionville Medicinal Garden (Le Jardin des traiteurs) has won 2nd place in the International MG Search for Excellence Award competition.
In order to fund our educational programs, we hold plant sales in the spring and fall. Our dynamic propagation team, which meets every Wednesday morning at the Demo Garden, propagates and lovingly cares for all plants sold.
We are proud to be Master Gardeners!
Our Current 2023 Board
President: Mary Gladney
Vice President: Bootsie Durand
Immediate Past President: Juan Nieto
Treasurer: Yvonne Lanoux
Corresponding Secretary: Meagan Stogsdill
Volunteer Coordinator: Louann McClelland-Long
Member-At-Large: Christine Devenport
Recording Secretary: Mary Kramer
Vice President: Bootsie Durand
Immediate Past President: Juan Nieto
Treasurer: Yvonne Lanoux
Corresponding Secretary: Meagan Stogsdill
Volunteer Coordinator: Louann McClelland-Long
Member-At-Large: Christine Devenport
Recording Secretary: Mary Kramer