We are venturing to the Old South in this garden.
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Transcript:
Hello Listeners,
Today is February 25, and this is A Garden A Day with Mædunbroc Gardens.
Thank you for listening.
We’re venturing to the Old South today at Houmas House Plantation in Darrow, Louisiana.
Located on a high point on the east bank of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, sits an opulent two and a half story Greek Revival mansion built in 1840 known as the Houmas House Plantation or the Burnside Plantation or the Sugar Palace. The home is surrounded on three sides by fourteen monumental Doric columns.
The plantation became the largest sugar cane plantation in the area.
As a side note: This is our third or fourth sugar cane plantation turned garden so far this year.
The home received significant damage in the 1927 Mississippi Flood and fell into further disrepair during the Great Depression.
It was purchased by Dr. George B. Crozat in 1940 who began an extensive restoration of the property. It remained in the Crozat family until current owner Kevin Kelly purchased the property in 2003 including many of the furnishings. About 65% of the furniture in the home is original to the house.
There is an extensive history of the plantation included on their website. I’ve included a link in the notes for this episode.
The entrance to the plantation is lined with oaks that were planted in the 1830s. The old oaks were called “The Gentlemen” by owner John Burnside, and the name stuck. Originally, there were twenty-four trees, but most of them were felled during the building of the levee to control the flood waters after the Great Flood of 1927. Only eight remain today.
The gardens span thirty-eight acres and mix Louisiana native plants with inviting exotics. April and November are the best months for colorful blooms.
The garden includes several courtyards, each with its own water feature with lily pads and lotus flowers. There are several fountains and statues dotted throughout. The garden balances lush with manicured.
Self-guided tours are available for the garden, and dogs are allowed on leash. Expect to spend the better part of the day exploring all this garden has to offer.
Azaleas, magnolias, and camellias, a koi pond, formal plantings, brick-paved garden paths make for a romantic Old South garden.
And there are plenty of wildlife, too as well as plantation peacocks, ducks, and chickens.
Guided tours are also available of the house and gardens.
After enjoying the tranquility and breathtaking scenery of the garden, guests will enjoy a bite to eat at one of three restaurants on site.
The Dixie Cafe offers a casual dining option overlooking the gardens. The cafe is located inside the Great River Road Museum — a local history museum on the plantation that guides visitors through the years starting with the founding of Louisiana and venturing through steam boat times, Mardi Gras, slavery and the Civil War.
The Carriage House Restaurant offers family-friendly dining with elegant southern cuisine.
For fine dining, the plantation offers Latil’s Landing with a five-course tasting menu. Reservations are recommended for this restaurant.
The plantation also offers cottages for luxurious overnight stays. What a wonderful way to enjoy the garden.
Houmas House Plantation and Gardens is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
And just like yesterday’s garden — Cypress Gardens in South Carolina — Houmas House Plantation has been the filming location of several films and television shows.
Oh, and one more thing — it’s haunted.
I do hope you’ve enjoyed this episode. That’s about it for today. Join me here tomorrow to find out where we are going next.
As a reminder, I release a new episode every single day. You can find past episodes anywhere you listen to podcasts or you can find them at our website — agardenaday.com.
Thanks for listening. If all goes well, I’ll be right back here tomorrow. See you then!
To learn more about Houmas House Plantation and Gardens and to plan your visit, check out these links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Houmas
https://www.whereverimayroamblog.com/visiting-houmas-house-plantation-la/
https://www.explorelouisiana.com/historic-districts-sites/houmas-house-and-gardens
http://www.famous-historic-buildings.org.uk/houmas-house-united-states.html
https://pastlanetravels.com/haunted-louisiana-plantation/
https://64parishes.org/entry/houmas-house-plantation
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