AMITE, La. – The annual Camellia Garden Stroll at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station will be held on Feb. 22 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Visitors are invited to stroll through a collection of over 500 camellias, which were planted by Hody Wilson in the 1930s to early 1950s when he was the station superintendent.

The camellias were research trials of the varieties available at the time and a few that were bred but never named and released.

During the 1990s, the planting was neglected due to a shift in the focus of research at Hammond.

In 1999, several newly trained Louisiana Master Gardeners in Tangipahoa Parish came to the rescue by taking on the clean-up and maintenance of the camellia garden.

Propagation of the camellias is ongoing through cuttings, air-layering and even grafting, so that a new replication of as many named varieties as possible can be planted in other areas of the station.

Camellias, including some hard-to-find varieties, will be offered for sale by the Tangipahoa Master Gardeners.

The camellia garden stroll is co-sponsored by the LSU AgCenter and the Tangipahoa Parish Master Gardener Association.

For further information or if you require special accommodation for your participation in this event, contact the LSU AgCenter Tangipahoa Parish office at 985-748-9381.

The Hammond Research Station is located at 21549 Old Covington Hwy. (Hwy. 1067 just off Hwy. 190). Admission to the event is free and open to the public.