Windrush Gardens
Windrush Gardens was designed by Steele Burden and covers
25 acres of mostly shady paths interspersed by mature trees,
azaleas, camellias and crape myrtles. It is decorated with fascinating
old architectural features, especially statuary.
On the perimeter of Windrush Gardens, several large ponds
feature plantings of older varieties of Louisiana irises. There is too
much shade in the garden proper for Louisiana irises to thrive.
Burden is not a property that features Louisiana irises, although
a significant planting is planned. Irises will be seen here and there in
various locations, including the Windrush ponds, the Black Swamp
and in another old pond nearby that also contains many specimens
of I. virginica.
CONVENTION
INFORMATION
LSU BURDEN MUSEUM
AND GARDENS
Rural Life Museum
The Rural Life Museum is the best known
of the several components that make up LSU’s
Burden Museum and Gardens. The spectacular
Windrush Gardens sits adjacent to Rural Life,
and both are but small parts—in terms of space
—of the entire 440-acre Burden property. A
developing LSU AgCenter Botanic Garden,
which includes the Black Swamp, is another
component, and a great deal of additional space
is devoted to agricultural research.
A highly recommended trip to the Burden
website will do far more justice to the Rural
Life Museum than is possible here. On the
Convention tour, Rural Life, Windrush and the
Black Swamp will all be available, but one could
easily spend an entire day at Burden.
Rural Life consists of a “village” of more
than 30 unique buildings and a visitor’s center
displaying an extensive collection of artifacts.
The Black Swamp
The Black Swamp is a small, bottomland, rain-fed swamp that
probably was a river-fed swamp before the building of levees. The
canopy consists of water tupelo and black tupelo with some swamp
red maple. The tannins leached from the leaves of the black tupelo
make the water appear black, although it is actually a clear light
brown.
I. fulva, which is found in shallower water, does well at
each end of the boardwalk.
42 AIS Bulletin Winter 2018