LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| Facility Address | 4560 Essen Lane Baton Rogue, LA 70808 |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | Gates open at 8:00 a.m. weekdays and weekends and close at 4:30 p.m. Grounds remain open until 5 p.m. We are closed on: New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Eve |
| Website | https://www.lsu.edu/botanic-gardens/index.php |
| Contact | Admin - Information |
| Phone | (225) 763-3990 |
| botanicgardens@agcenter.lsu.edu |
About the Gardens
Burden Museum & Gardens offers discovery and adventure through historic, natural and educational experiences that provide a window into Louisiana’s rich, cultural past. Situated on 440 acres in the heart of Baton Rouge, it is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in the flora and fauna of Louisiana’s lush landscapes and agricultural heritage.
Burden Museum & Gardens includes the LSU Rural Life Museum, the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens and Windrush Gardens.
The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens is an expansive collection of specialty gardens, woodlands, wetlands and arboreta. Trees and Trails offers five miles of serene walking paths through the Burden Woods. The Rose Garden, Children’s Garden and All-America Selections Display Garden showcase the beauty of plants and flowers and provide educational experiences for gardeners of all ages.
About the Camellia Collection
Total number of camellia plants: 275
Number of distinct camellia cultivars or species: 250
Vi and Hank Stone Camellia Gardens
Camellia varieties from the private collection of Vi and Hank Stone were planted in the gardens. The collection includes 200 different varieties including the Stone Progeny, Higo, Orientals and Sasanquas. This collection continues to grow as new introduction are added. The Baton Rouge Camellia Society has its base at the Botanic Gardens.
Florence and Charles Crowder Camellia Collection
This garden is the result of the lifetime work of Florence Crowder and her loyal helper, Charles. Florence, an avid Camellian, realized that many of the 450 camellias that were registered in the United States in the 1800s were becoming lost. It became part of her life’s work to travel the globe and locate as many as possible. Most of the plants that Florence collected began as scions collected in Europe and the United States. She then sent them to Magnolia Gardens, The American Camellia Society and Bobby Green. She also kept some to grow herself.
The Barton Arboretum was chosen to house this special collection of camellias, and a grant from the Lamar Family Foundation and Leo and Kay Broders provided the funding to prepare the beds, install irrigation and purchase labels. They were planted in 2016 according to the country of origin by members of the Baton Rouge Camellia Society.
The garden is dedicated to the memory of Florence’s parents, Ethel ‘Nook’ and J. L. Scivicque, of Denham Springs, Louisiana. The parents’ love of camellias was instilled in Florence and her sisters: Joan Sibley, Jama Scivicque and Janice Roach. The sisters helped their parents plant over 100 camellias at their family home in the late 1940s. Their Dad would often say, “Don’t forget the old ones, from them we get the new ones.”
View collection of J. D. Smith Camellia Paintings at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens.