Wild Ones Greater Baton Rouge

Melissa LoVerde, Hammond’s Newester Louisiana Master Naturalist, Earns LCHP silver!

By Raffy Mason Rigney

Melissa relocated to Louisiana from the Southwest. To acquaint herself with new friends with common interests and her new home, she participates in the area’s Louisiana Master Naturalist Program of Greater Baton Rouge (LMNGBR). Her culminating project is to pursue a personal interest related to one of the LMNGBR program components.

The Louisiana Certified Habitat Program (LCHP) certification of her new home landscape fits the brief. “I’m just a stay-at-home Mom who likes plants,” Melissa says. The more she learns and identifies, the more she discovers about her place.

There is marshy area, prairie grasslands, and woods. Though she hasn’t entirely walked it all, there is already lots to see and enjoy.

There are beautiful oaks and bald cypress in her lowland wet area. She’s adding irises and small pools for tadpoles. There is stacked wood nearby for shelter.

There are pines and pawpaws and pecans in woodland periphery. Spiderworts, bluets, flat sedges, plaintains, thistles, bonesets, native grasses, and many wildflowers comprise much of her lawn. Melissa hopes that the LCHP cetification sign will help neighbors understand why she does not mow her lawn as often as they do.

Melissa enjoys shopping for native plants, too. She finds herself driving a distance to purchase them. “There are no native nurseries in Hammond.” She’s filling that niche. Her license is in process. A native nursery in Hammond at her homesite is coming soon.

Melissa LoVerde is Hammond’s newest Master Naturalist, future Master Gardener (she begins that course soon), and forthcoming small business owner specializing in natives!

“Just a stay at home Mom who loves plants,” YES, PLEASE!

St. Alban’s Chapel native plant garden first to earn LCH recognition on LSU campus!

By Peggy Coates

Emily Stich is a member and volunteer at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on the Louisiana State University (LSU) campus in Baton Rouge. St. Alban’s was the first Episcopal Chapel to be built on a state university campus and is located on the corner of Highland Road and Dalrymple Drive. In 1928, Huey P. Long signed a ninety-nine-year lease with St. Alban’s. For all these years, the congregation has joyfully pursued the mission of hospitality to the students, faculty, and staff of LSU.

On May 5, 2025, Swamp Fly Native Landscape installed a native garden at Emily’s home. Shortly after, she attended the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference at Western Carolina University. This regional annual conference brings together a wonderful mix of people - enthusiasts, botanists, growers, educators, and more. It is a three-day conference filled with field trips, lectures, workshops, and networking opportunities. Emily said she thought she “died and went to native plant heaven!”

For over 30 years, Emily has faithfully served as St. Alban’s volunteer florist and landscaper. The outside of the main entrance to the Common Hall was an eyesore, a hodgepodge of overgrown plants that gave a negative first impression to all who entered the chapel. It was time for a dramatic change. Emily approached the Reverend Brandon Peete, St. Alban’s new rector and chaplain, to pitch a total garden renovation featuring native plants. To make him feel welcomed, she planted one side of the garden in the colors of his alma mater, the University of Alabama, while the other side is planted in flowers that bloom purple and gold. The planting will also serve educational purposes. All the plants are labeled with common and botanical names so that everyone can learn about them and hopefully be inspired to add some to their own gardens. Emily plans to make a presentation to the congregation and students to educate about the importance of native plants.

In the cool of this spring, Emily, along with helping hands from other members of the congregation, removed the weeds and overgrown plants to prepare the site for the new garden. For a bit of church fun, Emily included Christmas fern and Resurrection fern. She jokingly wonders if there’s a Pentecost Fern? Most of the plants were obtained from the Teche Gardens Nursery, operated by the non-profit organization Acadiana Native Plant Project (ANPP), open on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., LSU Hilltop Arboretum, and donated passalongs.

Emily will soon graduate from the Master Naturalist of GBR Program. The native plant garden at St. Alban’s will also serve as her required final project. With years of professional experience in organizational management and a new appreciation of native plants, she now serves on the Friends of Hilltop Arboretum Board of Directors, and is the current president of the Louisiana Native Plant Society Board of Directors.

Congratulations on a job well done and earning Louisiana Certified Habitat Bronze Certification for the St. Alban’s native garden! We know you will continue to be an advocate for native plants.