projects
Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans support educational garden projects in the Greater New Orleans area. Louisiana Master Gardeners manage and volunteer in these projects. Email a Project Leader directly for more information or to volunteer.
Federal City Community Garden,
Algiers
This Westbank project is located at Federal City on the former Naval Support Activity – New Orleans military base in Algiers. Master Gardeners maintain vegetable and herb demonstration beds, provide hands-on gardening activities and assist the Federal City military families and Westbank residents who participate as growers in the community garden. Biannual Garden Clean Up Days are held in the spring and the fall.
Project Leader: Charlotte Baham
Location: Federal City at Guadalcanal Street between Carmick and Savage Streets in Algiers
Volunteer Day/Time: At your convenience
Galvez Garden
The Galvez Garden is a growing community garden in St. Roch. With an emphasis on native plants and pollinator plants, specific goals of the garden are to be welcoming to the community, safe and inviting for children and the elderly, and to serve as a demonstration and teaching garden for the neighborhood. As awardees of the 2023 Cultivating the Community Garden Grant, the Galvez Garden aims to increase availability of fresh fruits and vegetables within underserved communities. We look forward to growing a productive vegetable garden area that grows food for our community, while offering inclusive opportunities for community members to learn about gardening. Visit Galvez Garden website. Help Galvez Garden fund the purchase of their leased lot. Donate on their GoFundMe page.
Project Leader: Lissie Stewart
Location: 2317 N. Galvez Street, New Orleans
Volunteer Day/Time: Flexible
Jazz Museum, New Orleans
French Quarter
Begun in 2023, this project will enhance and expand existing gardens at The New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Avenue, to integrate the Museum’s outdoor space into its overarching celebration of New Orleans’ cultural and historic roots. Our mission is for the Jazz Museum’s gardens to be living resources for educating the public about the rich and varied cultural heritage that nurtured and still sustains the music most associated with New Orleans. By connecting native and introduced plants, both ornamental and edible, to the music the museum celebrates (through interactive signage and occasional presentations), our goal is to deeply enhance visitors’ experience and create new educational and creative opportunities.
Project Leader: Susan Goss
Location: 400 Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans, LA
Volunteer Day/Time: Flexible,
Junior Master Gardeners
Jefferson
Established in September 2023, this is multifaceted educational program created by AgriLife of Texas A&M. Students receive hands-on learning about gardening and how to protect the environment. The classes are taught weekly by certified Louisiana Master Gardeners. Level One includes students in grades third through fifth who must complete 96 activities to receive Junior Master Gardener certification. The classes are held at the Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health and Sciences Academy (DJOD).
Project Leader: Peggy Howard
Location: 1108 Shrewsbury Road, Jefferson, Louisiana 70121
Volunteer Day/Time: Thursdays 4 pm
LaSalle Park Garden, Metairie
The LaSalle Park Garden is a productive project where volunteers plant a variety of vegetables year round and provide educational outreach for park visitors. LaSalle Park is a popular place for residents of Metairie and the surrounding areas. It offers a walking path, urban forest nature trail and sports fields.
This garden is designed to encourage healthy eating habits and home gardening. It is a joint project with the Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans and Jefferson Beautification, Inc. Its primary purpose is to serve as a venue for community education. School children, garden clubs and other organizations as well as park visitors can tour the garden to learn about the planting and care of a garden and the value of growing food to eat. The harbested produce is taken home by visitors and the master gardener volunteers.
Visitors learn about seasonal vegetable planting, plant suitability for the climate, proper horticultural practices, nutrition, compositng, disease and insect control as well as harvesting. The area features both ground level and elevated beds which provide teaching visuals about soil drainage.
In addition, there is a pollinator garden shoooooooowcasing a variety of annuals and perennnialsl, designed to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. There are a variety of plants including Louisiana Super Plants and natives.
Project Leader: Greg Maurer
Location: 6600 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA, 70003
Volunteer Day/Time: Wednesdays / 8 am to 10 am
Rivertown Butterfly Garden,
Kenner
Established in the fall of 2023, this public space located in the City of Kenner was transformed into a butterfky garden with the guidance of the LSU AgCenter and MGGNO volunteers. A variety of seasonal pollinator plants were installed and are being maintained by master gardeners, All of the plants are labeled to help educate visitors about butterfly gardening.
Project Leader: Barbara Siede
Volunteer Day/Time: Flexible
Location: Jefferson Highway at Willliams Boulevard in Kenner, LA
Latter Library Pollinator Garden
The Latter Library Oval Garden is located on the grounds of Latter Library, at 5120 St. Charles Ave. These grounds are maintained under a contract with the Latter Conservancy, a nonprofit group. One portion is the responsibility of the Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans. It is a pollinator garden, showcasing a variety of annuals and perennials, designed to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. There are seven varieties of salvias, five types of native plants and a selection of Louisiana Superplants. Passersby frequently stop to make positive comments and ask horticultural questions. Volunteers are welcome. Work is on an as-needed basis and may be tailored to each volunteer’s schedule.
Project Leader: Kathy McCrocklin
Volunteer Day/Time: Flexible
Location: 5100 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans
Longue Vue House and Gardens
Have a great time and learn a lot while helping a National Historic Landmark! Join the skilled garden staff in maintaining Longue Vue’s beautiful Ellen Biddle Shipman designed historic gardens. Longue Vue’s plant collections include over 3,500 Louisiana irises, 130 camellias, a diverse native plant palette, and two vegetable and herb gardens full of edible plants.
Volunteer projects in the gardens include weeding, raking, planting, mulching, pruning, propagation, and other diverse horticultural tasks. All tools are provided. Bring your own gloves, sunscreen, bug spray, water, snacks, and sense of humor.
For more information contact Dave Maher, a fellow Louisiana Master Gardener and Longue Vue’s Lead Garden Volunteer. Learn more about Longue Vue and register to volunteer. Registration is required.
Project Leader: Dave Maher, Longue Vue Volunteer Manager
Volunteer Day/Time: Thursdays / 8:30 am – 12 pm and second Saturday of the month 9 am – 11 am
Location: Longue Vue House & Garden, 7 Bamboo Road, New Orleans, 70124
Louisiana Irises - Multi-Site
- Besthoff Sculpture Garden, New Orleans Museum of Art
- Longue Vue House & Gardens
- The Iris Island Nursery in City Park: Master Gardeners are welcome to visit and volunteer on Thursday mornings from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
There will be educational demonstrations on how to divide irises, plant rhizomes, cut seed pods open and plant seeds, and propagate irises to plant in other areas or share with friends. Contact Iris Project Leader for information or to volunteer.
Project Leader: Lorrie Brown
Volunteer Day/Time: Varies by location
Location: See above
Louisiana Super Plants Garden
City Park
The Louisiana Super Plants Project is a raised demonstration garden outside the back gate entrance to the Besthoff Sculpture Garden and directly across the street from the Pavilion of Two Sisters in NOBG. MGGNO volunteers learn about the Louisiana Super Plants through planting seasonal selections and general garden maintenance. Observers are educated about the many different types of LSP and how they came to receive this designation.
Project Leader: Judy Duplantis
Location: New Orleans City Park
Volunteer Day/Time: Fridays / 9 am – 11 am
NOBG Aromatic Garden
The Aromatic Garden is part of many themed gardens created within the New Orleans Botanical Garden. All the plants that are grown there have some fragrance in either blossoms or leaves. Fragrance is a strategy used by plants to attract pollinators, so these plants are also important in attracting beneficial insects as well as butterflies, moths, and their caterpillars. This garden encourages the appreciation of a scented garden and educates both visitors and Master Gardeners to the value of these plants. There is a mix of perennial shrubs as well as summer and winter annuals with culinary herbs also having a role. This is a dynamic garden where plants are changed frequently and the hunt for more fragrant varieties is an ongoing passion for the master gardeners who volunteer here.
Project Leader: Carolyn Sanchez
Location: New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park
Volunteer Day/Time: Tuesdays/Thursdays 9 am
NOBG Butterfly Garden
This colorful, popular garden is located behind the Lathe House and NOBG Study Center. It has been maintained by a reliable and knowledgeable group of volunteers for years. Join the Project Leader and her group to learn and to continue this historical garden momentum.
Project Leader: Mary Biundo
Location: New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park
Volunteer Day/Time: Tuesdays / 9 am to noon
NOBG Cold Frame Beds
Louisiana Master Gardeners manage twelve raised beds in the New Orleans Botanical Garden. These beds were originally built as cold frames. Starting from seeds, the team grows a changing selection of vegetables and herbs with input from team members, the LSU agagents, and the New Orleans Botanical Garden staff. Harvested produce is used to augment the NOBG culinary kitchen and donated to a local food bank. The team is available to visit with park visitors and answer their questions about growing vegetables in Louisiana. This project began in 2017 and has been ongoing.
Project Leader: Judy Lewis
Location: New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park
Volunteer Day/Time: Thursdays / 9 am (8 am during summer)
NOBG Hummingbird Garden
Tucked away between the Lathe House and the Butterfly Garden, the new Hummingbird Garden attracts tiny winged visitors with plants and feeders maintained my master gardeners. Join the Project Leader and his team to learn how to participate in this fun project.
Project Leader: Seth Nehrbass
Location: New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park
Volunteer Day/Time – Hummingbird: Tuesdays / Flexible Time
NOBG Historic Train Garden
This project is located in the Historic Train Garden on about an acre of scaled landscape representing New Orleans neighborhoods in the 1930’s when trains were the main means of getting around the City. The HTG is situated in the rear of the New Orleans Botanical Garden next to the Japanese Garden. Master gardener volunteers maintain plants on the entire site, which includes the interior garden, surrounding beds along the walkway as well the outside (entrance) garden. Plant materials are reminiscent of the period such as boxwood, azaleas, yaupon, and bottle brush. Regular maintenance includes weeding, pruning and planting. Interested volunteers should contact the project leader.
Project Leader: Peggy Howard
Location: New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park
Volunteer Day/Time: Thursdays / Flexible Start Time
NOBG Culinary Gardens
This project is comprised of three demonstration gardens inside the New Orleans Botanical Garden: the herb Kitchen Garden, the Asian Culinary vegetable bed and the Latin American vegetable garden. Produce grown here is used for cooking demonstrations hosted in the new NOBG outdoor kitchen where educational programs and tastings inspire visitors about New Orleans eclectic cuisine. Project members meet weekly on Tuesdays to plant, weed and harvest these plants. Please contact project leader for more information: Volunteers can also contact NOBG garden lead Mark Meunier, for additional times and workday opportunities.
Project Leader: Melissa Luer
Location: New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park
Volunteer Day/Time: Tuesdays /8:30 am (7:30 am during summer)
Pelican Greenhouse
City Park
Master Gardeners propagate plants in the Pelican Greenhouse and also staff plant sales.
This is one of our longest running MGGNO volunteer projects. For more information on volunteering only contact Pelican Greenhouse.
Project Leader: Pelican Greenhouse Staff
Location: Off Henry Thomas (Golf) Drive south of the I-610 underpass in City Park
Currently Not Accepting New Volunteers
LSU AgCenter Annual Events
AgMagic on the River
AgMagic on the River is a program of the LSU AgCenter. It introduces students in grades 3-6 to agriculture in Louisiana. Students experience exhibits featuring entomology, fisheries, forestry, horticulture, and much more. This week-long, free event is held annually at the Docville Farm and volunteers are needed for a variety of positions.
Event Leader Anna Timmerman., LSU AgCenter
Location: 5124 E. St. Bernard Hwy, Violet, LA 70092
Spring Garden Show and Fall Garden Festival
Spring Garden Show
The LSU AgCenter presents the Spring Garden Show in the New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park in early April. Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans coordinate the event and provide the volunteers for staffing it. Information and requests for volunteers are announced in advance of the event.
City Park presents the Fall Garden Festival in the New Orleans Botanical Garden in early October.
Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans provide the volunteers for staffing it. Information and requests for volunteers are announced in advance of the event.
Location: New Orleans Botanical Garden, 1 Palm Drive, in City Park.