Botanic GardensBotanic GardensJanuary | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
One Saturday a month | 7 - 9 a.m.
Did you know 320 species of birds have been recorded in and around Burden, including common species, such as northern mockingbirds and ruby-throated hummingbirds, seven different woodpeckers, waterfowl and wading birds, and a variety of resident migratory songbirds?
Grab your birding gear and join us bright and early to catch a glimpse of some of these species on a two-hour guided tour led by different birding specialists through the birding loops at Burden.
Admission is $10. The capacity for each excursion is limited to 15 guests. Register here.
2023 Fall dates:
One Saturday a month | 9 a.m. - Noon
Join us on Saturday morning to listen to storybook readings and flex your creative muscles! Young children will have a blast interacting with other kids, making arts and crafts, and listening to stories. Little ones also receive a book to take home with them. Every half hour, we switch between stories and crafts to keep young children interested and engaged. Best suited for children ages 3-8, but children of all ages are welcome! Admission is free. No registration is required.
Winter 2023 Dates:
2023 Event Canceled
Prestige Red Poinsettias are for sale in the Conference Center lobby for $12 per plant. Purchase includes decorative pot cover and protective sleeve.
January 20, 2024 | 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
We partner with Baton Rouge Green to bring you the best Arbor Day celebration ever!
Join us for tree climbing with Bofinger's Tree Service, a scavenger hunt, ax throwing with the Timber Tigers, shopping with local vendors and even a chance to meet Smokey Bear (don't worry, he's not a real bear). Plant your very own tree in the Burden Woods and track its growth using GPS coordinates! Planting trees are limited to one per family. The trees you plant help reforest the Burden Woods after previous hurricane seasons.
Baton Rouge Green will host their annual tree giveaway in conjunction with Arbor Day. Giveaway trees are limited to one per household.
February 17, 2024 | 1 - 5 p.m.
February 18, 2024 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Shop from over one hundred camellia selections for your garden or take a look through the exhibit of award-winning camellias grown by the Baton Rouge Camellia Society and by gardeners like you! Many of these camellias have been meticulously propagated from the expansive camellia collections at the Botanic Gardens. The Camellia Society will also offer planting and management advice.
February 24, 2024 | 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Herb Day is the perfect place to start an herb garden or refresh one you've already established! At Herb Day you'll find thousands of healthy herbs and All America Selections vegetable plants as well as local vendors selling their wares and food trucks selling delicious fare.
Herb Day is an educational outdoor gardening event and plant sale hosted by the Baton Rouge Unit of the Herb Society of America.
February 11-16, 2024
The Icon Workshop is a thoughtful and meditative week-long retreat focusing on traditional painting techniques that date back 2,000 years. The workshop is led by trained Iconographers in the Ione Burden Conference Center. No artistic skill or previous painting experience is required, and all materials are provided by Friends of LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens. You are also welcome to bring your own brushes, Ott light, or wet pallet if you prefer. Coffee and lunch are provided daily.
Email dianawells1548@gmail.com for more information.
March 23, 2024
Join us for the biggest plant sale of the year! Shop from thousands of locally-grown perennials and annuals specifically selected by the East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners for success in your garden.
The Spring Garden Fest raises money to support the educational activities provided by Master Gardeners and the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens.
Spring 2023
Be one of the first to experience Music in the Gardens, a treat for the senses!
Soak up the sounds of local up-and-coming bands while basking in the beauty of the Botanic Gardens. We'll bring the tunes, the views, and the fun. You bring friends and family, your coolest picnic setup, and your dancin' shoes!
Admission ranges from $5 to $25. Friends members receive a discount on all ticket levels.
April 18, 2024
Gourmet in the Garden is a foodie's dream!
Bring your food-loving friends to savor dishes and cocktails from your favorite Baton Rouge chefs and mixologists. After you've tried them all, vote for your favorite in the People's Choice Awards!
All food and drink is included in the cost of the ticket.
All proceeds from this event go towards education programs at the Botanic Gardens and the Louisiana Culinary Institute Foundation.
May 2024
Join the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens and the American Public Gardens Association along with over 500 public gardens across America in celebrating Go Public Gardens Days.
Go Public Gardens is an ongoing, evergreen initiative of the American Public Gardens Association meant to drive the public to visit, value, and volunteer at public gardens in their area and when they travel.
July 2023
The Baton Rouge Orchid Society's Annual Show & Sale offers stunning visual displays from multiple Orchid Societies across the Gulf Coast, affordable sale plants from local vendors, tours of the BROS orchid collections, and educational sessions on growing and caring for orchids! This event is free and open to the public.
October 2024
Join us as we open our fields and crank up our tractors to usher in the Fall season with some crazy mazy outdoor fun in October 2024. More details to come!
October 2024
Grab your costumes, glow sticks, and flash lights and head on over Night Maze. At our family-friendly Night Maze you can take a stroll through the corn maze, roast marshmallows by the bonfire, climb the hay mountain, go for a "swim" in the corn crib, play awesome games, and dance to live music!
November 2024
The Friends of LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden invite you to ramble through the Gardens!
Stroll through the gardens as you savor gourmet hors d'oeuvres from some of your favorite local restaurants, sip fine wine specially selected for each small bite, and engage your senses in an aromatic wine tasting. Guests will also enjoy live music, a wine toss, a silent auction, and a raffle.
