What are Thibodeaux's Gardens? 

Quite simply, an experiment.   We had a problem because we liked Tropical Gardens, French Formal Gardens, Heirloom Gardens, Southern Pass-along Gardens, Botanical Gardens, and English Cottage Gardens but had only one suburban back yard.  Could they be combined without looking like total chaos?  Probably not, but take a look and judge for yourself.  Our goal is not a dramatic landscape, but rather hundreds of different plants in a never ending variety.  In our vision plants are not neatly separated.  They are seamlessly blending and flowing into one another in a never ending collage of foliage colors, shapes, and flowers with a no bare earth policy.  This garden is not to be admired from a comfortable distance, rather it is to be explored in what hopefully will appear to be endless detail.  Like a good movie, my hope is that each time it is viewed something missed the first time will reveal itself.  All I can say is, "its gettin' there."

Gardening Philosophy

I never met a plant I didn't like.  If I get my hands on a plant, I will plant it somewhere. 

Mostly organic with a good dose of common sense.  Our semi-tropical, warm and humid environment means one thing, lots of bugs, unbelievable numbers of them at times in every size and shape imaginable, some good, most not so good.  I try not to use pesticides and herbicides, but there are some occasions when it simply cannot be avoided.  Plants, that when grown elsewhere need an occasional pruning, will ultimately need a chainsaw when grown here, but who is complaining, certainly not the weeds.  After 5 months my Castor Bean plants in 2001 had 4+ inch diameter wooded trunks.

Fertilizing - As needed, when I feel like it, when I notice something needs it, you get the picture.  In 2001, I added 19 pickup truck loads of free compost from the parish compost facility.  The results were phenomenal.  Rose canes doubled in diameter, struggling plants came roaring back.  In 2002, we expect to do the same thing, bring in truckloads of compost from the parish compost facility, in addition to bagasse from the Jeanerette Sugarcane Mill.

Native Plants - We have many native and non-native, but widely naturalized plants including many varieties of Louisiana Iris, Narcissus, Lantana, St. Joseph's Lilies (Amaryllis), Crinums, Spider Lilies, Crossvine, Trumpet Vine, Passion Vine, American Beauty Berry, and more.  We have many heirloom plants in the garden and consider them to be the most precious since many are no longer available in commercial markets and all have a special memory for Cel and I.  Many come from friends, abandoned homesteads, farm headlands, roadside, garbage dumps, woodlands.  Mai cher, I am not to proud to rescue a plant from anywhere.

T H E  G A R D E N

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING

 Come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses...
author - unknown

 PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be patient
Lettuce really love one another

 NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
Thyme for each other
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends
 

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.

THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN
YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.