Native Plants Reach a Local Landmark with UNO Certification
At 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 6, at the University of New Orleans (UNO) Amphitheater garden, the Louisiana Certified Habitat Program will reach a landmark when the Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans (NPIGNO) certifies the 100th New Orleans area habitat. The certified habitat program recognizes Louisiana efforts to preserve and promote the state's natural heritage via native plant gardens which benefit wildlife and natural ecosystems (https://www.lnps.org/certifiedhabitat/). Home gardeners, businesses, schools, and other institutions that landscape with plants native to Louisiana can apply for certification through the program. A native plant expert counts the number of species or estimates the percentage of native plant species on the property to assign a certification level. Levels are bronze (25 native species or 25% native plants), silver (50 native species or 50% native plants), and gold (75 native species or 75% native plants). Over 250 properties have been certified statewide.
"We are so pleased to have the UNO native plant gardens as our 100th New Orleans area certified habitat," said Tammany Baumgarten, president of NPIGNO and of the Louisiana Native Plant Society. "UNO reaches such a wide range of people, from students to faculty to staff to community members, and it is truly becoming a showcase for the beauty and benefits of native plants."
Earlier this year, Chris Belser, assistant professor of the UNO counselor education, and a team of students installed the fourth native plant garden on campus at the Amphitheater near the Earl K. Long Library, an area heavily used by students, faculty, and staff. The student team, led by Emily Miller, Arden Kleinpeter, and Genesis Santiago, researched plants, mapped the garden design, and recruited volunteers for planting and maintenance work.
"Gardens like the one at the Amphitheater benefit native birds, insects, and other wildlife, and they benefit humans too," said Belser who is also a Master Gardener in New Oreans with the LSU AgCenter. "Many studies have demonstrated that time outside in nature makes us healthier mentally and physically. We're adding signage to provide tips to encourage 'unplugged' outdoor lunches, breathing exercises, and other easy ways to enjoy and enhance time spent in the UNO native plant gardens."
The Amphitheater garden is part of an overall sustainability project spearheaded by Belser and funded by an internal grant from UNO's Office of Research. His project is part of a larger campus greening effort and,is the third Louisiana Certified Habitat on campus. UNO’s first certified habitat was part of a Privateer Pocket Park installed at the Administration Building (http://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news#22-06-14/bird-mural) . The second certified habitat was part of a Privateer Pocket Park installed near the Fine Arts building (http://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news#22-11-22/audubon-mural). These pocket parks have native plants, environmental art painted by students, and seating to encourage the campus to enjoy nature. Privateer Pocket Parks implemented by Carol Lunn, Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the UNO Office of Research and UNO Garden Club advisor. Baumgarden, NPIGNO, and the Louisiana Native Plant Society have all contributed to helping UNO add native plants to campus.
Another native plant project on campus is an Urban Bird Trail (https://www.uno.edu/news/2021-09-23/grant-create-urban-bird-habitat-uno-campus-and-support-environmental-education) funded by a $34,000 US Fish and Wildlife Service Urban Bird Treaty program grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Liz Sigler, Assistant to the Vice President for Research and Economic Development Center and Director for Center for Undergraduate Research and Creativity, Grant Writer John Bishop, and campus and community partners like UNO TriO Upward Bound and the Orleans Audubon Society provided gardening muscle and know-how for the project, which has provided extensive native tree plantings campuswide as well as efforts to mitigate non-native invasive plants in the campus woodlot near the Fine Arts Building.
As part of an Earth Day Celebration, students and UNO Garden Club members also planted a native garden adjacent to student housing at Pontchartrain Hall North with plants sourced by Lunn and Baumgarten.
More information about these and other environmental sustainability projects at UNO are athttps://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news and via Instagram #KeepUNOBeautiful.
Carol Lunn, Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development; Advisor, UNO Garden Club; Keep UNO Beautiful; clunn1@uno.edu or KeepUNOBeautiful@uno.edu, 504-280-7155.
Liz Sigler, Assistant to the Vice President for Research and Economic Development; Director, Center for Undergraduate Research and Creativity; esigler@uno.edu or birding@uno.edu; Instagram: @birdsofuno; Facebook: @birdsofuniversityofneworleans, 504-280-7153.
Tammany Baumgarten - President, Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans; President, Louisiana Native Society, tammany@baumgardens.com, 504-616-9344.
Come and find us this weekend at the New Orleans Botanical Garden for the Spring Garden Show! We will be on the lawn in front of the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. Detailed Brochure 2022
Earlier this month, NPI took a road trip to Arnaudville for Acadiana Native Plant Project’s (ANPP) Yard-to-Habitat workshop. ANPP’s website states that the workshop is “designed to help homeowners and landscapers transform property, from small yards in town to big pastures in the country, to native habitat for pollinators, birds and other wildlife and improve ecological resilience.”
(from left to right) NPI board member Tanya, ANPP's Phyllis, NPI board member Cheryl in Phyllis' yard
NPI president, Tammany Baumgarten, helped facilitate, working with a break out group on their designs and board members, Tanya Mennear and Cheryl Geiger, attended to learn how to offer this type of workshop in New Orleans. When the plans and plant lists were created, all attendees were invited to visit ANPP’s demonstration garden and greenhouse to purchase plants to be used in their habitat landscapes.
After a stroll through the demo garden and greenhouse, the board members joined some of the ANPP board and organization members at Bayou Teche Brewery for pizza and fellowship, further fostering the relationship between NPI and ANPP. The following day included visits to the incredible home gardens of ANPP leaders Phyllis Griffard and Lawrence Rozas.
Phyllis’ front yard habitat
Lawrence’s yard before picture
Native Mexican plum in Lawrence’s yard
Native planting around Lawrence’s pool
Pathway in Lawrence’s backyard
Lawrence’s habitat and neighbor’s turf
ANPP is doing great things over in Acadiana. Check them out!
“How We Turned a Barren Construction Site Into A Gold Level Habitat In Less Than One Year"
Tracey Banowetz
Background
Our interest in using native plants in our landscaping began over twenty five years ago as two of our hobbies - gardening and birdwatching - intertwined. For Dave, reading Noah’s Garden by Sara Stein back in 1994 was like what reading Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home or Nature’s Best Hope is for many today. It showed how we could enjoy both hobbies in a way that also supported our more fundamental interests in nature and conservation.
Our first attempt at gardening with native plants was in conjunction with the construction of a new home in a Baton Rouge subdivision in 1995. We outgrew that space within five years and acquired 26 acres in the Tunica Hills north of St. Francisville. We enjoyed almost 20 years of fun in the woods before facing the fact that it was time to downsize. Which brings us to the start of the present-day story….
Initially, the concept of downsizing was depressing as we struggled with the thought of trying to shrink what we had in terms of both home and garden. What to keep? What to get rid of? And how? We needed a vision! We found it at an exhibit at the West Baton Rouge museum on the interior design concepts of Frank Lloyd Wright. Dave and I walked out of the exhibit, looked at each other, and said “That’s it! We keep nothing and go in a completely different direction.”
This meant swapping a 160 year old historic home and most of its contents for a small but intensely functional space based on the principles of Wright’s Usonian designs. But the characteristics of organic architecture - “creating harmony between human habitation and the natural world” - also provided an exciting step forward in our continuing interest in gardening with native plants.
So now we had to find a homesite. We looked for property on the New Orleans north shore in order to be closer to both of our mothers who still live in the area. We chose a 3/4 acre lot in the Money Hill subdivision in Abita Springs. We were attracted to Money Hill because of the conservation ethics expressed by the Goodyear family as well as their association with The Nature Conservancy. We chose our lot based on its gradual elevation change and the fact that it backed up to a small lake and a large common area with lots of space and lovely views. We knew our architect could help us do something really cool with the site.
Design Goals for the Home and Garden
In keeping with the principles of organic architecture, we wanted the construction of the home to be “dirt neutral.” In other words, we wanted as little fill and as little excavation as possible, despite the fact that the lot had a strong declining slope from front to back. The result was a split-level open u-shape home that melded into the existing topography. Pale green brick would further help the house blend in to its surroundings.
The changing elevation across the property created both challenges and opportunities. Managing the drainage in a sensitive way would be a challenge and for this we collaborated with Philip Moser Associates and installed a series of french drains and dry stream beds. A low retaining wall at the rear of the main garden in the front yard was added to retain both soil and soil moisture in this bed. Terraced steps in the rear compliment the geometry of the house, creating garden and lawn spaces that absorb water runoff from the roof. This also allowed us to preserve and protect a large longleaf pine in the backyard by avoiding any significant fill in its root zone.
Different elevations and exposures on the site offered us the opportunity to create three main habitat areas. The higher and sunnier front yard became the upland pine savannah; the lower, wetter northeastern corner became the lowland pine savannah or “flatwoods garden;” and the shadier west side became the woodland garden.
We were required to present a landscape plan to the Money Hill HOA prior to constructing our home. At the time we did this, the committee was primarily concerned with tree preservation and had some detailed requirements regarding the minimum number of trees you were required to have for each zone of your property. This was not a difficult target for us to meet and our initial plan was readily accepted. While the plan included a large planting area in the front yard for the upland pine savannah, there was also a generous amount of turf, which probably helped facilitate the approval. That said, current guidelines call for a minimum of 20% turf area in the front yard, so we have the opportunity to expand this garden as we learn more about what plants are most successful in this area. Thus far, the only “push back” we have received from the HOA was that it took longer than the required three months from move-in to install the garden.
Plant Selection
When it came to selecting specific plants for the gardens, we wanted to focus primarily on the use of indigenous native plant material common to the longleaf pine ecosystem that was original to the Money Hill area. Lucky for us, our best friends are Rick and Susan Webb who own the fabulous Louisiana Growers Nursery in nearby Amite. Having held my landscape horticulture license since 2002, we had easy access to some wonderful plant material, including lots of special selections that Rick has made from St. Tammany, Washington, and Tangipahoa parishes.
We also put into practice some of the principles we had recently learned from Claudia West and Piet Oudolf. We sought to use native grasses and perennials in relatively dense masses. Perennials were selected with an eye towards attracting birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Many of our perennials came from Louisiana Growers, but we also discovered the great selection of perennials available as “landscape plugs” from Northcreek Nursery in Pennsylvania. Again, having my professional license allowed us access to this source of plant material. Using large quantities of smaller plants allowed us to achieve masses of plants quickly and economically.
Specific Plant Materials
While we focused on masses of perennials, we also opted for diversity in terms of both the woody and perennial selections. Having the three different habitats guided our selection process and accentuated this diversity. What follows is a list of some of the plant material in each of the three habitat gardens.
Upland Pine Savannah: This garden is in the front yard, receiving full sun with a southern exposure. The property slopes gently from the street down towards the house.
Lowland Pine Savannah: This garden is in the rear northeastern corner of the property. It has significant elevation change across its area, staying drier at the top and much more damp at the rear.
Woodland: The woodland habitat stretches along the western side of the home, extending into the back yard area. It is bordered by the wooded lot next door which we bought half-way into the construction process in order to preserve the trees.
Elsewhere on the property: There are several other smaller beds on the site, including foundation beds across the front of the home, and additional trees dotted about.
Beeblossom (Gaura lindheimeri), Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica), White Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia cappillaris), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica var. sylvatica), Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) Correll's False Dragonhead (Physostegia correllii), Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana), Water Oak (Quercus nigra), Nuttall Oak (Quercus nuttallii), Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix), White Flame Salvia (Salvia farinacea x longispicata), Blue eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angusstifolium), Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa), Pond Cypress (Taxodium distichum var. nutans).
Bog Planter: I have long had a passion for collecting carnivorous plants and we designed a planter at the front entrance of the home to hold these.
Other Perennials: There are some non-native perennials that we just can’t live without and find particularly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. These have been included in other planters and beds around the home: Cigar Flower (Cuphea ignea), Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeeana), Lantana sp. ‘New Gold.’
Lot Next Door: As mentioned earlier, about half-way through construction, we had the opportunity to purchase the lot to the west of ours. We have begun to introduce more native trees, shrubs, and perennials into the understory. The list below includes both pre-existing and recently planted species.
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridis)
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum), Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), Sweetbay Magnolia(M. virginiana var. australis), Southern Wax Myrtle(Myrica cerifera), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica var. sylvatica), Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), Loblolly pinePinus taeda), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), Common Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata), Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum), Giant Coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima), Lyre Leaf Sage (Salvia lyrta), Tree Huckleberry(Vaccinium arboreum).
Outcome andReception
As of this writing, it has been a little over twelve months since we installed most of the woody plant material. Perennials have just gone through their first winter and, for the most part, appear to have survived the recent cold snap. We are curious to see what Spring will bring. Our biggest challenge has been having to deal with the poor quality garden soil that was brought in to build some of the landscape beds. We’ve had to apply a lot more fertilizer than we’d like in order to lower the soil pH and improve fertility.
Overall though, the first year has been very rewarding. The abundance of milkweed brought lots of monarchs and countless caterpillars and chrysalis. Numerous other swallowtails, skippers, dragonflies, bees, and other pollinators have been spotted as well. Turtles come up from the nearby lake to lay their eggs in the garden which is fine with us. Various species of woodpeckers, flycatchers, warblers, and other songbirds have been spotted. We’ve had at least three different hummingbird species overwinter in the garden too.
The pandemic has prevented us from socializing much, so I can’t report on how the garden has been received beyond our immediate neighbors. Our next-door neighbor is an equally avid gardener with a completely different style, but she loves it and is always curious about what we are doing. Her granddaughter has even brought a chrysalis and a pitcher plant from our garden to show-and-tell! The young family across the street has expressed positive curiosity as well and recently inquired about our Certified Habitat sign.
I have to admit that I laughed when, in the middle of the admittedly drawn out process of initial installation, a member of the HOA committee asked when we would be finished. “Never!” We recognize that our garden will never be finished. It will always be evolving. As we learn from our successes and failures, we will probably reduce the turf and expand the garden in the front yard. We plan to “gently manage” the side lot by continuing to add appropriate trees, shrubs, and perennials to the understory. We look forward to enjoying our garden and its critters for many years to come!
Tracey Banowetz is past president of the Louisiana Native Plant Society and owner of WildWing Gardens, specializing in gardens for birds, butterflies, and wildlife. She lives and gardens with her husband David in Abita Springs, Louisiana.
Preliminary landscape design showing 3 habitat areas
Caroline Coroneos Dormon (1888-1971) by Amy Graham of Longue Vue Gardens
“I could no more have stopped studying birds, flowers, and trees and drawing them than I could have stopped breathing!”
“Our swamp debutante (the iris) has become a horticultural queen, reigning in gardens around the world”, 1951
Considered Louisiana’s first conservationist and one of the most influential American naturalists of the early 20th century, Caroline Dormon was an accomplished horticulturist, botanist, archeologist, ornithologist, teacher, Louisiana Iris hybridizer and author. As a child in Saline LA, Dormon developed a keen interest in nature and spent most of her life collecting, cataloging and preserving native plants. As the first woman employed by the U.S. Forestry Service in 1921, Caroline worked to establish Kisatchie National Forest by writing an enabling act that would allow the government to purchase old growth forest land.
Affectionately known as “Miss Carrie”, Dormon’s expertise was uncontested which conveyed into years of lecturing and consultation work through the 1940’s. Projects included highway beautification with the Louisiana Department of Transportation, nature-scaping of the Huey P. Long Charity Hospital and the establishment of the Louisiana State Arboretum in 1961. She also developed forestry education materials for schools, promoted forestry conservation support among civic leaders, and advocated for education and support for the Choctaw and Chitimacha tribes of Louisiana.
Dormon’s letters attest to professional correspondence with notable national figures including Lady Bird Johnson, Thomas Edison, garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence, famed botanist Dr. J.K. Small and landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman.
Published works include: Wild Flowers of Louisiana (1934), the first published work devoted entirely to describing Louisiana wildflowers, Forest Trees of Louisiana (1941), Flowers Native to the Deep South (1958), Natives Preferred (1965), Southern Indian Boy (1967), and Bird Talk (1969).
Dormon’s lifelong project was her 121-acre home Briarwood. On Dormon’s passing in 1971, her beloved Briarwood was willed to The Foundation for the Preservation of the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve, Inc, and became the Briarwood Nature Preserve, now designated as a National Historic Place.
The Dormon archives are located at the library of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA.
Awards and appointments:
Member of the DeSoto Commission
Eloise Paine Luquer Medal by the Garden Club of America
Louisiana’s Board of Public Welfare and the State’s Highway Department
Honorary Doctorate of Science from Louisiana State University for Distinguished Scientific Achievement
At 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 6, at the University of New Orleans (UNO) Amphitheater garden, the Louisiana Certified Habitat Program will reach a landmark when the Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans (NPIGNO) certifies the 100th New Orleans area habitat. The certified habitat program recognizes Louisiana efforts to preserve and promote the state's natural heritage via native plant gardens which benefit wildlife and natural ecosystems (https://www.lnps.org/certifiedhabitat/). Home gardeners, businesses, schools, and other institutions that landscape with plants native to Louisiana can apply for certification through the program. A native plant expert counts the number of species or estimates the percentage of native plant species on the property to assign a certification level. Levels are bronze (25 native species or 25% native plants), silver (50 native species or 50% native plants), and gold (75 native species or 75% native plants). Over 250 properties have been certified statewide. 
"We are so pleased to have the UNO native plant gardens as our 100th New Orleans area certified habitat," said Tammany Baumgarten, president of NPIGNO and of the Louisiana Native Plant Society. "UNO reaches such a wide range of people, from students to faculty to staff to community members, and it is truly becoming a showcase for the beauty and benefits of native plants."
Earlier this year, Chris Belser, assistant professor of the UNO counselor education, and a team of students installed the fourth native plant garden on campus at the Amphitheater near the Earl K. Long Library, an area heavily used by students, faculty, and staff. The student team, led by Emily Miller, Arden Kleinpeter, and Genesis Santiago, researched plants, mapped the garden design, and recruited volunteers for planting and maintenance work. 
native birds, insects, and other wildlife, and they benefit humans too," said Belser who is also a Master Gardener in New Oreans with the LSU AgCenter. "Many studies have demonstrated that time outside in nature makes us healthier mentally and physically. We're adding signage to provide tips to encourage 'unplugged' outdoor lunches, breathing exercises, and other easy ways to enjoy and enhance time spent in the UNO native plant gardens." 
The Amphitheater garden is part of an overall sustainability project spearheaded by Belser and funded by an internal grant from UNO's Office of Research. His project is part of a larger campus greening effort and,is the third Louisiana Certified Habitat on campus. UNO’s first certified habitat was part of a Privateer Pocket Park installed at the Administration Building (http://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news#22-06-14/bird-mural) . The second certified habitat was part of a Privateer Pocket Park installed near the Fine Arts building (http://www.uno.edu/sustainability/news#22-11-22/audubon-mural). These pocket parks have native plants, environmental art painted by students, and seating to encourage the campus to enjoy nature. Privateer Pocket Parks implemented by Carol Lunn, Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the UNO Office of Research and UNO Garden Club advisor. Baumgarden, NPIGNO, and the Louisiana Native Plant Society have all contributed to helping UNO add native plants to campus. 
