hg news-fall 2010

8/8/2019 HG News-Fall 2010

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Vol. 1 No. 3 • Fall 2010 A Newsletter by the Friends of Hodges Gardens

In this Issue:

• Azaleasalebigsuccess

• HodgesGardensHoriculturist

• AnotefromtheParkManager

• JourneytoBearIsland

• Groupcampconstruction

• PALSprogram2010

• FriendsPassionProject

• Fallscheduleofevents

• Membershipinformation

The August 21 summer azalea sale sponsored by Friends of Hodges

Gardens State Park was a big success and raised more than $2500 to be used

for improvements to the Gardens.

Turnout on the hot Saturday morning was excellent with a lot of early,

serious buyers for the different varieties and sizes of azaleas on hand. Customers

continued to come through out the four-hour sale. Sales were brisk, and members

of the Friends organization along with other volunteers worked steadily to advise

customers about the azalea types and to help load their vehicles with the plants

“Every bit of the proceeds from the sale goes toward the betterment of

Hodges Gardens,” said Friends president John Byrd. “What wasn’t sold will

be planted throughout the gardens.”

A big buyer was Many Mayor Ken Freeman who purchased 75 plants for

fall planting and beautifying the town of Many. Freeman and his wife Mary

Ellen showed near the end of the sale and placed the large order.

When all the sales were tallied, Friends treasurer Edith Palmer advised the

members that they had sold more than $2500 worth of azaleas.

Azalea sale big success

ManyMayorKenFreeman,JohnByrdandEdithPalmerselectazaleasfor

Manybeauticationproject.

continued on page 2JourneytoBearIsland-page5

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The executive board of the organization will meet soon

and determine how best to use the funds at the Gardens.

They are considering restoring Willow Point Fountain and

are in the process of getting prices to determine exactly how

much it will cost to get the large fountain operational again.

The Friends organization was formed in 2008, soon after

the Gardens were re-opened to the public by the Louisiana

Department of State Parks. Results of their work was seenimmediately through their volunteer work and sponsorship

of programs like PALS, a summer favorite of area school

children for the past several years.

Currently the Friends group have their eyes set on next

year’s March Spring Fling, which brings about lots of family

-friendly activities at the Gardens.

The organization also hopes to sponsor an annual Fourth

of July special at the Gardens each year, beginning in 2011.

“We’re working toward a big Fourth of July celebration

next year, said Mary Brocato, vice president of the Friends

organization. We want lots of patriotic music with lots of areawide bands, and the grand nale would be a giant reworks

display over the lake like we used to have at the Gardens so

many years ago.”

The Friends group has already begun to seek sponsors

for the big event. Brocato and others are working to plan a

musical program and several bands have already committed.

Restoring the Willow Point Fountain, the March Spring

Fling, and the Fourth of July Extravaganza all cost lots of

money. Brocato said this is why the azalea sale was so

important.

VolunteerBettyMillerofManyandHoustonworkedwith

twojuniorvolunteersattheazaleafundraiser.

AmajorbuyerattheazaleasalewasAubreyFordwhowasalsoabigtippertojunorvolunteerswhodelivered

theazaleastoFord’svehicle.

The“moneyman”wasjuniorvolunteerKeyghanHalliday,12-years-old,whocountedthemoneyandprovidedarunningtallyofrevenuesfromtheazaleasale.

Azalea sale continued from page 1

n n n n n

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HodgesGardensHorticulturist Tommy Adams

It is easy to overlook Fall’s role in ensuring the survival

of life, both plant and animal, in the garden. Spring is

dramatic in this regard, Fall so much more subtle. Both

are essential.

Most noticeable is the Autumn color of our deciduous

trees and we have some good performers. Our maples are

very closely related to the maples that make such a show in

northern areas. As a general rule, the cooler the weather, the

showier the color. Our leaves die slowly as Fall progresses.

First, the green pigment chlorophyll dies exposing the

underlying yellow and red pigments allowing the trees to

get their house in order for the cold of winter.

We also have trees we can depend on regardless of

the temperature. Sassafras will consistently turn a pleasant

orange. The other good performers are non-natives. The

stately Ginko (Asia) will turn a beautiful clear yellow. Look

for these in the Main Garden. On House Island we have

two Chinese Pistachio trees. These are very closely related

to Sumac so it is no surprise that they turn the same ame

orange-red.

Many of our owering plants come alive with the mild

temperatures of Fall. Tropical water lilies are much more

colorful and the plants, having grown larger, produce more

blooms. The antique roses really respond to the change in

temperature. With just a few days of mild conditions, they

will push out new growth. Fall blooms are something to

look forward to, larger and more intense in color than spring

blooms. Many of the old Dianthus varieties planted in the

Old Fashion last year survived the heat of summer, some

even with an occasional bloom. These should pick up and

do well with Autumn weather conditions. Fall seems to be

the favored season for Marigolds. We will be planting a latecrop soon for color through the Fall.

Fall at Hodges Gardens 2010

PistachioTree

GinkoTree

SassafrasTree

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A

s the we begin to get relief from the

summer heat, it’s hard for me to believe

that another season has come and gone

so fast. Our visitation numbers have

been steadily increasing as we continueto expand our programming. If you haven’t been to

see us lately, you really should drop by and experience

the beauty and peace that the park has to offer. We

get so wrapped up in the “hurry up” fast pace of our

daily lives, that sometimes a break to sit by the lake or

up on Lookout Tower is all it takes to bring priorities

back into focus.We have been busy planning the Fall events for

the park and as I have always said, there is something

here for every soul and passion. Some of the events

we have planned are Flutter Fest Buttery Festival,Fall Trail Ride and St. Jude Benet, Full Moon Garden

Tours, October Fun Run and the very special Art in the

Park Show. Janice Hutton, our Interpretive Ranger,will be presenting several nature programs from Water

Gardening to Caterpillars to Butteries.

This season a new program is being added that

will focus on the Pines of Hodges Gardens. Our

community is rich with history and the timber industry

has played a major role in our area’s economy. Mr.Hodges was in the forefront of this movement and

dedicated an area of the park to researching and

hybridizing pines. For more information on theseand other events, check out the Friends website at

www.hodgesgardens.net.

Volunteer Days kicked off on September 10. We

have really been blessed this past year with volunteersand community service groups helping out with

projects. We have now set aside several Friday and

Saturdays throughout next Spring for Volunteer Days.

From pruning shrubs to trail maintenance to changing

out annuals in the ower beds, there will be something

to do! This will also give us a chance to visit and

enjoy the company of others with common interests

and united in a common goal. We’ll have the grillsred up for lunch so bring your grillin’ food or picnic

lunch and join us for work and fun.

Stay tuned……

Kim KellyHodges Gardens General Manager

A note from the park manager…

HodgesGardensParkManagerKimKellyanda

PALSprogramstudentenjoyedgettingtoknoweachotherduringthe2010PALSprogram.

AnewprogramfocusingonthePinesofHodgesGardensbeginsthisfall.A.J.Hodges,founder

ofthegardens,understoodtheimportanceofthetimberindustryintheareaanddedicatedaportionoftheparktohybridizingandresearching

pineforests.

m m m

m m m

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Journey to Bear IslandStory by Janice Hutton, Interpretative Ranger

A beautiful August morning and we were off on an

adventure, a canoe trip to Bear Island.

There are no bears on Bear Island. Originally it was

Bare Island, the result of the lling of the lake leaving a

barren hump of soil and boulders surrounded by water. Fifty

years later, the island is full of native trees; hickories, laurel

oaks, pines and wax myrtles. Shrubs include native azaleasand vacciniums which are members of the blueberry family.

Thick undergrowth at water’s edge provides great cover for

migrating ducks in winter and cool shade for herons shing

in the heat of summer.

We left the boat dock with Tommy Adams and me in one

canoe and the Hastings family from Houston, TX: Robert,

Laura and son William, in another canoe. William is eight and

was garbed in his best ‘ Indiana Jones’ clothes ready for his

excursion. After a brief canoeing lesson, we were off toward

the Island with a nice breeze on the bow. The water was

crystal clear, exposing the underwater vegetation and stones.We paddled around Flag Island and tied up on Bear Island.

As soon as William exited the canoe and climbed uphill,

he found a small animal skull. “Wow, is this real?” he wanted

to know. We assured him it was a raccoon skull, and he

thought we had placed it there for a “tourist” to nd. Later

he found a small short bone. As each picture was shot, there

was William holding up the bone.

We explored the boulders and checked out the trees the

beavers had cut and removed for their dams. We found deer

scat and evidence of previous hikers. We also observed a

very large Golden Garden spider with a three dimensional

web awaiting her prey.We were impressed by a splendid large Wax Myrtle tree

leaning out over the water and found it very picturesque.

William was impressed by bones!

We will have another Bear Island trip soon and maybe

you will wear your “Indiana Jones” hat.

TheRobertHastingsfamilyofHouston,TX,areeager

explorersastheysetoutearlyforamorningofexploringonBearIsland.

IndianaJoneslook-a-likeWilliamHastings,8,shareshis

discoveryofafossilfoundonBearisland.

Robert,LauraandWilliamHastingsfromHouston,TX,

pauseforabreakduringtheirexpeditiontoBearIsland.

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Construction is underway on the new

group camp at Hodges Gardens StatePark. The old lodge was demolished in

November, 2008. Also, the old RV sites were

demolished in order for the area to be used

for the construction of the new group camp.

The new site was chosen by the Resource

Development Department of the Ofce of

State Parks. The architect was chosen and

the design and the bid process completed to

make way for the project to begin in 2009.

A new road to the site location had to

be cleared from the old RV campground

to the lake. Then the site itself had to be

cleared. French drains were added to address

the drainage issues of the location. With

approximately 6,000 yards of dirt in place

and the foundation poured, the building

started to take shape. We are hoping to have

the construction completed by this Fall.

Once completed, the 5,000 sq. ft. group

camp will sleep 50 in two dormitory style

wings with bunk beds and will accommodate

75 in the central great room for meetings and

banquets. The kitchen is easily accessible to

the great room and has a back entrance for

deliveries. The group camp is going to be

a much needed addition to the park. Stay

tuned for updates and progress reports!

Group camp construction

8/8/2019 HG News-Fall 2010


Hodges Gardens State Park again hosted the Sabine

Parish PALS program this summer for the third year in a

row.

Friends of Hodges Gardens sponsored many of the

events and provided t-shirts and trophies for participants

in the activities.

Young people from Sabine Parish schools lled thepark during the month of June. The students rotated

through outdoor, nature-based programs, biking, hiking,

canoeing, music, art and a competitive shing tournament.

Louisiana’s unique style of music and culture separates

this state from others. Louisiana Roots Music was a

special component of the PALS program over the summer.

Students learned about the many artists and music that call

Louisiana home.

Family Day was the grand finish for the month-

long PALS program. Students displayed their artwork

and performed on the Lakefront Stage for their parents,

relatives and friends.

Support for this summer educational program based on

the outdoors and nature was overwhelming. Professional

artists and musicians with volunteer retired teachers andpark staff made this a memorable summer for many school

children.

The summer of 2011 will mark the fourth year Hodges

Gardens State Park will provide educational, nature-based

programming for school children. Plans are underway to

include school children from Vernon Parish in the 2011

PALS progam.

PALS program 2010

8/8/2019 HG News-Fall 2010


T he Friends Group has chosen a major project to help

fund for Hodges Gardens State Park. While many projects

were considered, the Willow Point Fountain project was

clearly the most important at this time. It is a focal point

from many places on the park. From the breathtaking lake

view of the lake as you enter the park, from the porches atCabin Point, and from the Lakefront Stage Lawn, the giant

fountain can be seen.

The fountain was no small accomplishment for its

designers in the 1950’s. Mr. Hodges spared no expense to

create this wonderful water feature in his garden paradise

that he shared with the public. It has given many of you

fond memories of Christmas time at Hodges. Its changing of

colors with the Christmas music was unforgettable on those

December nights. In the daytime, the water brings a sense

of refreshing beauty.

It will cost approximately $5,000.00 to bring this fountain

back to its former glory. Friends of Hodges Gardens StatePark is accepting donations dedicated to rebuild and refurbish

the fountain. Donations are tax-free. For more information

please contact John Byrd, president of Friends of Hodges

Gardens. (318-256-5591 nights)

The Executive Committee of the Friends organization

will meet and is expected to recommend donating the income

from the azalea fundraiser to the refurbishment of the Willow

Point Fountain.A lightning strike during a storm took out the 30 hp motor

that runs the fountain. The fountain today sits dry and broken

awaiting its turn in the restoration process. The Friends o

Hodges Gardens State Park is excited for the opportunity to

help repair the fountain and get the water owing again! We

need your help! We hope to raise enough money and have

enough volunteers to turn the fountain back on. This would

complete Phase I. Lights and other features will be addressed

in the next phase. Please send your tax deductible donation

to Friends of Hodges Gardens State Park – Fountain Project

PO Box 7, Florien, LA 71429. For additional information

contact a member of the Friends Board of Directors. Names

and contact information are available on our website: www

hodgesgardens.net

Friends passion project

PhotocourtesyofFrankDuttonwww.toledo-bend.comPhotobyParkSta

Willow Point Fountain

8/8/2019 HG News-Fall 2010


HODGES GARDENS STATE PARK

FallScheduleOfEvents

SEPTEMBER

Date Time Event

10 All day Volunteer Day!

11 All day Flutter Fest Butterfy Festival


12 9:30 am Butterfy Garden Tour

18 All day Rotary Club Run

19 9:30 am “Dragonfies”

22 All day Vernon Parish Forestry Awareness

23 All day Vernon Parish Forestry Awareness

23 10:00 pm Full Moon in the Gardens with Guided Night Hike25 All day LEC Fall Trail Ride

OCTOBER

Date Time Event

2 All day Fun Run

2 9:30 am Butterfy Garden Tour

3 9:30 am Water Garden Tour

6 All day Sabine Parish 5th Grade Forestry Awareness

7 All day Sabine Parish 5th Grade Forestry Awareness

9 9:30 am Modern Rose Garden Tour10 9:30 am Modern Rose Garden Tour

16 9:30 am Modern Rose Garden Tour

17 9:30 am Modern Rose Garden Tour



23 8:00 pm Full Moon in the Gardens with Guided Night Hike

NOVEMBER

Date Time Event

6 10:30 am Natural Fall Arrangements

7 10:30 am “Pines o Hodges Gardens State Park”

13 10:30 am Tree Identication

18 All day Nature Education Day-Sabine Parish 4th Grade

20 All day Fall Arts Festival

21 All day Full Moon in the Gardens - Open until Midnight

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TheBoardA.J.&Nona Trigg Hodges Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Len Musick

Members at Large . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Edith Palmer and James Wagley

Sabine Parish Tourist Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linda Curtis-Sparks

Vernon Parish Tourist Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Crook

Northwestern State University . . . . . . . . . . . John Byrd and Mary Beth Brocato

Louisiana Equine Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Peggy Bianchi and Sybille Waruszcak

Louisiana Craft Guild (Art Park) .. . . . . . . . Doug Stannard and Tony McDonald

Centenary College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Hobson and Will Andress

Sabine Master Gardeners .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vicki Holbrook and Anita Thedford

TheExecutiveCommitteeJohn Byrd – president . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ([email protected]) 318-256-5591

Mary Beth Brocato – vice president . . . . . . ([email protected]) 318-256-5809

Peggy Bianchi – secretary . . . . . ([email protected]) 337-238-5428

Edith Palmer – treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . .([email protected]) 318-256-2036

Many people have indicated their support or Hodges

Gardens State Park by purchasing one-year membershipsin the Friends o Hodges Gardens non-prot organization.We thank them or their support and hope that you, too,

will become a member and enjoy the many benets othis worthwhile, tax-ree organization. Memberships areavailable in dierent categories and include passes to theGardens (year-long passes or contributions at $100 level

or above), ree admission to all events, subscription to thequarterly newsletter, and many other benets. Pleasee-mail or call any member o the executive committee

or inormation on how to become a Friend o HodgesGardens State Park. You may also contact any member o the board o directors.

FriendsofHodgesGardensStatePark

Boardofdirectorsandexecutivecommittee

© 2010 NSU Press Publications

Editor, Mary Beth Brocato

Graphic Designer, Beth Mann

8/8/2019 HG News-Fall 2010


FriendsofHodgesGardensStatePark MEMBERSHIPAPPLICATION

Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Mailing address: _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Phone number: _______________________________________________________________

E-mail address: _______________________________________________________________

Pleasecheckthemembershiplevelyouprefer:

❑ $50.00Level: entitles you to membership in the Friends organizationand two ree day passes to the gardens.

❑ $100.00Level: entitles you to membership in the Friends organizationand an annual pass to the gardens. The pass will allow everyone in your vehicleentrance into the gardens. This pass also entitles you to entrance to all Louisiana State

Parks.

❑ $250.00Level (corporate, business, or individual): entitles you to membership

in the Friends organization and two annual passes to the gardens. These passes willallow everyone in your vehicle entrance to the gardens. This pass also entitles you toentrance to all Louisiana State Parks.

Annual passes are good or one year: January – December

CheckshouldbepayabletoFriendsofHodgesGardens.Mailyourcheckto:

Friends o Hodges Gardens State Park Attn: Edith Palmer, treasurer

P.O. Box 7Florien, Louisiana 71429

hg news-fall 2010

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