Louisiana Yards & Neighborhoods

The focus of this program is to encourage homeowners to create and maintain landscapes in ways that minimize environmental damage. The program which is implemented through the parish LSU AgCenter extension agents with the support of the Louisiana Master Gardener volunteers, provides education and outreach activities in the community.

The LYN handbook provides helpful ideas, information and techniques to create your Louisiana friendly landscape. In this handbook you will learn the basics of designing a landscape using carefully selected plants suited to Louisiana growing conditions. This handbook also contains information on cost-saving, energy-efficient landscape maintenance to help you reduce water, fertilizer and pesticide use. You can purchase this handbook through the LSU AgCenter online store by clicking this link: https://store.lsuagcenter.com/p-18-a-guide-to-louisiana-friendly-landscaping-a-louisiana-yards-and-neighborhood-program.aspx.

Establishing Your Louisiana Friendly Yard

Landscape Fundamentals

The Louisiana Yards & Neighborhoods program is a partnership of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter) and the University of Florida and the Florida Yards & Neighborhood program, part of Florida-Friendly Landscape.

Thanks to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Environmental Horticulture Department and Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program for their cooperation and support of this project.

Special thanks to Advanced Louisiana Master Gardener volunteers in the development and implementation of the Power Point presentations created for this program. The accompanying handbook is based on the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook but has been revised to include information specific for Louisiana. Lastly, the material included on this site is meant to supplement the material contained in the presentations and handbook.

Handbook Authors:

Sara R. Shields, Lee Rouse, Bill Branch (retired), Bill Carney (retired), Denyse Cummins (retired), Don Ferrin (deceased), Bobby Fletcher Jr. (retired), Stuart Gauthier, Dan Gill (retired), Henry Harrison, Jessica Kastler, Tom Koske (retired), Brian LeBlanc, Allen Owings (retired), Dale Pollet (retired), Don Reed (retired), Rene Schmit (retired), J Stevens (retired) and Ron Strahan.

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry: Carrie Castille

LYN Handbook originally published in 2009, revised in 2017 and 2018.