W. F. "Hody" Wilson Camellia Garden - Hammond, Louisiana

Facility Address	21549 Old Covington Hwy Hammond, LA 70403
Hours of Operation
Website	http://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/research_stations/hammond/features/gardens/hody%20wilson%20camellia%20garden
Contact	Admin - Information
Phone	(225) 578-4161
Email	web@agcenter.lsu.edu

About the Garden

One of the most impressive camellia gardens in the state is located between Hammond and Robert at the Hammond Research Station. This two-acre garden located under towering pine trees features more than 450 named varieties and about 200 unnamed seedlings or unidentifiable varieties of Camellia japonicas(best known as camellias) and Camellia sasanquas (best known as sasanquas). Most of the camellias in this collection were planted in the late 1930s through the early 1950s.

The collection was planted by W. F. “Hody” Wilson Jr., superintendent of the station from the mid-1930s until 1975. Mr. Wilson was internationally known for his camellia breeding during his time at the station. The two most well-known selections of Mr. Wilson's are 'Man Size' and 'Jerry Wilson'. Many of the camellias in this collection are from Mr. Wilson’s breeding program and may be the only ones of their kind.

In 1999, the Tangipahoa Parish Master Gardeners took on the cleanup and maintenance of the garden as a project. Susan Spiller, a resident of Hammond until her death in 2001, was an enthusiastic Master Gardener who spent many hours cleaning up and caring for the camellias. A memorial camellia, Sweet Jane, was planted in the garden in 2002 in her memory.

The Camellia Garden will now continue at the Hammond Research Station because of an effort to provide educational and research support for the growing commercial landscape industry in the Florida Parishes. A map of the garden and the propagation of the camellias are ongoing projects