BATON ROUGE, La. – The Margie Jenkins Azalea Garden Horticulture Lecture Series and Industry Open House will be held at the Hammond Research Station from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 15.

The educational event is planned for nursery growers, landscape contractors, landscape maintenance firms, retail garden center owners, managers and their employees, said Allen Owings, research coordinator at the station.

Speakers for the program include Mark Windham from the University of Tennessee, who will be discussing problem solving in dogwoods, roses and hydrangeas. Rick Webb of Louisiana Growers in Amite will discuss the use of south Louisiana natives and some of the improved varieties.

“We will have garden tours and plant trials,” Owings said. “We also have a new program this year called plants with potential.”

The LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station established the Margie Y. Jenkins Azalea Garden in 2006 in recognition of one of Louisiana's most widely known nursery owners and nationally known lover, breeder and authority of azaleas.

Since there is no registration fee, Owings said an R.S.V.P. is needed to get a count for the hamburger lunch that will be served in the gardens.

The Hammond Research Station is located at 21549 Old Covington Highway (Louisiana Highway 1067) east of Hammond. Driving directions may be found on the LSU AgCenter website.

Additional information is available by calling Owings at 985-543-4125 or visiting the website at www.lsuagcenter.com/Hammond.

Johnny Morgan