The Top 5 Most Majestic Lawns in NOLA (November 2016)

New Orleans is famed for its gardens that are filled with impeccable displays of native flora. Venture from the French Quarter and discover a city of elegant and memorable gardens and parks.

Audubon Park is home to approximately 150 oak trees, some of them more than 250 years old.

City Park is 1,500 acres of green space in center city with cypress and live oak trees that line the lagoons. Lafayette Square, designed in 1788, contains both the Louis Armstrong Sculpture Garden and the Rose Garden.

If, as you stroll around, you take the time to linger by the noble homes of New Orleans, you will experience the style and creativity of their landscaping. We have selected five lawns that are especially memorable.

1. Southern Charm on Coliseum Street

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Photos: Zillow

Why we like it:

This Greek Revival home was built in 1850 and retains the southern charm of its origins. The home and its lawn reflect the Garden District’s reputation as one of the loveliest neighborhoods in this country. The immaculately kept lawn is framed by trimmed hedges and shrubs while ivy climbs up the wrought-iron columns and crape myrtles overlook the whole scene.

The side “alley” is ingeniously transformed into a picturesque patio with royal and dwarf palm trees and yucca plants adding a tropical touch to the city landscape.

2. Princely Home on Prytania Street

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Photos: Zillow

 

Why we like it:

Also in the Garden District, this Queen Anne-style mansion was designed by renowned architect Thomas Sully, who influenced the unique look of the District. The landscaping embodies the grace and charm of the South.

A centurion live oak tree provides a canopy over a mature garden of palm trees, including dwarf, bismarck, and majestic. In the rear of the home, the brick-paver patio is another tropical hideaway in the midst of the city with coconut palms, Boston ferns, and morning glory vines.

3. Magnificence on Moss Street

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Photos: Zillow

 

Why we like it:

This custom-built and unique home is a rather stark example of contemporary architecture, so it is all the more impressive that the owners have incorporated Caribbean and Asian influences into the landscaping. The koi pond is nestled among a veritable forest of tropical flora that includes a rich and diverse array of palm trees, musa plants, and elephant ear plants.

The rustic wooden patio is enclosed with Washington palm cluster plants, banana trees, Boston ferns, and colorful oyster plants. A live oak tree provides shade from the sun.

4. Drama on Dufossat Street

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Photos: Zillow

Why we like it:

This grand old home has seen plenty of drama. It’s a TV star as the house famed (or notorious) for its role in “The Real World New Orleans.” Regardless of its foray into reality TV, it remains a monument to New Orleans architecture and landscaping.

The house rises high above a sumptuous display of greenery that includes sego, Christmas, and Chinese fan palm trees; caladium plants that add add a lacy texture to the landscape, and meticulously trimmed shrubbery. Outside of the antique wrought-iron fence, the street is lined with crape myrtles that add to the overall romanticism of this home.

5. Elegance on English Turn Drive

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Photos: Zillow

 

Why we like it:

This Mediterranean jewel of a home is set into a finely manicured lawn with yucca plants and a trunk palm providing sharp contrasts to the perfectly rounded boxwoods. An eye-catching and innovative touch is the laurel hedge along a portion of side yard—a piece of privacy that doesn’t obscure the home and its superb grounds.

In the rear of the home, the patio reflects the Mediterranean motif with the unusual pavers that are lined with more laurel hedges and aloe plants.

Do you have your own favorites?

Visit our New Orleans lawn care page or share your thoughts in the comments section below.