Nicole and Paul moved to this 7-acre property in Broussard less than three years ago and set to work cleaning up a neglected landscape. They have reclaimed and vegetated a low spot as a small pond and are making steady progress on Chinese privet control. A large open space is being restored as prairie with consulting by Steve Nevitt of Louisiana Native Seed Company.
The stars of the property, though, are the live oaks. Nicole will be registering the eligible ones with the Live Oak Society. The periphery of the woods is dotted with diverse tree species that love the bottomland clay: black cherry, blackberry, willows, sweetgum. They have added mulberry and others. Zig zag irises, mallows, beautyberry, shield ferns and obedient plant dot the understory and edge. Nicole has also planted a showy bed near their log cabin home.
They plan to continue restoring the property by adding native plants and planning how to improve hydrology with deliberate plantings. They are rightfully concerned about the impacts of the many subdivisions being built around them.
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