Bonne Terre Garden Fair heads to Southdown

The Bonne Terre Garden Fair returns May 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Southdown Plantation House at 1208 Museum Drive in Houma.

The 19th century sugar plantation manor house and museum of local history and culture will host everything from expert speakers on topics such as insects, plant diseases and citrus, to vendors selling an array of plants, garden supplies and lawn and garden merchandise.

Louisiana’s own Dan Gill, a horticulturist with the LSU AgCenter, will also be on hand. Gill is the host of a live, weekly call-in show on New Orleans radio station WSMB and is featured in weekly gardening segments on the WWL Channel 4 morning news show. Readers of the New Orleans Times-Picayune have long benefited from his weekly column, “The Weekend Gardener.”

Admission to the event is $3 for anyone 12 and older. Children 12 and under get in free of charge.

There will be a garden-themed art show within the museum, children’s hands-on activities, food and much more.

“We have a lot of educational programs, a lot of special speakers and demonstrations,” said Cheryl Skinner of the La-Terre Master Gardeners, the organization putting on the event. “We have a new feature this year called ‘Ask the Expert’ as well as tons of things for the children to do. It’s fun for the whole family.”

In addition to La-Terre, the LSU AgCenter and the Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society are also presenting the event.

For more information, call (985) 446-1316 or e-mail bonne.terre@yahoo.com.