Plant Lovers, the Louisiana Nursery Festival is This Weekend

The weather in Louisiana over the past several months has been even more unpredictable than usual. No, we're not saying our meteorologists are getting it wrong, we're just saying that Louisiana's weather since the beginning of the year has been different than what the seasonal norms might suggest.

Louisiana was still reeling and feeling the effects of a historical drought when the calendar flipped over to 2024. Then in January, our state received more than normal rainfall after being in a moisture deficit for so long. Then came that late January freeze which lasted for just a couple of days but was cold enough and long enough to destroy a lot of gardens and landscapes.

If you find yourself looking at empty spots in your yard, flower beds, or landscaping in general then there is good news for you this weekend. The Louisiana Nursery Festival will be held in Forest Hill, Louisiana. The festival is celebrated on the 3rd weekend in March and if you love plants, this is the place to see, ask questions, and stock up at tremendous savings as many of Louisiana's largest nurseries offer great deals on springtime plants.

Since this is Louisiana and it is a festival there will be carnival rides, food booths, and other activities to go along with all of the plants. But, the plants are the star of this festival that's for sure. In previous visits to the Louisiana Nursery Festival, I have been able to stock up on vegetables, flowering plants, and even fruit trees. I would imagine the selection will be the same, if not better at this year's edition of the festival.

Forest Hill, Louisiana is about an hour's drive up I-49 from Lafayette. It's a few minutes longer if you're driving from Lake Charles. If you are traveling from Lake Charles you'll take US 165 instead of I-49. The festival begins on Friday and will run through Sunday. The festival hours are 8 to 6 on Friday and Saturday and 10 until 3 on Sunday.

Make sure you leave room in the car or truck to bring home some plants. It might be a good idea to pack a garbage bag or two to put down on the carpet in the car, that way if you spill on the ride home you won't have as much to vacuum up.