Not only was the weather wonderful, with azaleas in full bloom, but Master Gardeners were able to earn 12 hours of recertification credit, according to Dr. Doug Welsh, State Master Gardener Coordinator.

Shadows-on-the-Teche Plantation, the Tabasco factory/Avery Island, Laura Plantation, American Aquatic Gardens and Longue Vue Gardens (New Orleans), the restored Laura Plantation, Burden/Rural Life Museum (Baton Rouge), Rosedown Plantation, Oakley House (where Audubon did a number of his paintings), and several historical homes/gardens in Natchez were among the featured destinations of the tour.

Master Gardeners saw the city cemetery, museums and restored homes in the old French Quarter of New Orleans. Then, their assignment was to visit restaurants to try out Cajun and French cooking.... Yes - there were still beignets heaped with powdered sugar and coffee at the French Market cafes, still mule-drawn carriages and old cannons on display in the city squares, and excellent seafood at restaurants staffed by tuxedo-clad waiters.

The tour was put together by Linda Cook of Utopia Tours. Linda is a Montgomery County Master Gardener. She’s presently planning a Master Gardener trip to Charleston and Savannah. If you have questions about this upcoming tour, e-mail her at

By Cynthia W. Mueller