Join us for an engaging author lecture and book signing with F. Wayne Stromeyer, contributor to Early Camellias in Louisiana, a beautifully researched tribute to one of the South’s most iconic blooms.
Today, most of Louisiana's gardens feature plants of recent vintage that are sourced from 20th and 21st century nurseries, with only a few scattered "ancients" recognized in these modern gardens and information on them scarce. While collecting early plants for the gardens of their historic homes, the authors uncovered archival documents that inspired them to study surviving plants in old gardens of Louisiana.
During this talk, Stromeyer shares expert insights into the camellia’s early history in Louisiana, from its introduction in the 1800s to its lasting impact. Learn about the people, places, and passion behind this enduring flower, and why they continue to captivate gardeners with their spellbinding beauty. Early Camellias in Louisiana serves as a guide for the rediscovery and identification of these prized blooms, making a compelling case their preservation and inclusion in contemporary gardens.
Location
The Visitor Center Auditorium
Instructor
Dr. Wayne Stromeyer
Dr. Wayne Stromeyer is a retired physician who was formerly the Laboratory Director of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge and an associate in the Pathology Group of Louisiana. His subspecialty was Liver and Gastrointestinal Pathology, and his subspecialty training occurred at the Joint Pathology Center in Maryland (formerly AFIP.) Beginning in 1991, he and his wife, Cheryl restored Chêne Vert, a Louisiana Creole house c1825 and re-created gardens with patterns and plants appropriate to the early 1800s. The house is featured in The Magazine Antiques, March 1997 and in various books. His research, publications, and lectures feature the furniture and plantings of early 19th century Louisiana. Previous lectures have included presentations to the annual Antique Forum of Colonial Williamsburg and the annual Meeting of the Southern Garden History Society. He is a member of the American Camellia Society and is Curator of Magnolia Mound, a historic house in Baton Rouge.
