Hodges Gardens

Louisiana, United States

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Hodges Gardens in Louisiana was created in the 1940s as a private scenic garden around a former rock quarry on land once clear-cut and used for timber and stone mining.

Andrew Jackson Hodges Sr. and his wife Nona Trigg Hodges purchased and replanted large tracts of cut-over land, developing what became a 60-acre formal garden area featuring natural rock formations, ponds, waterfalls, streams, and a 225-acre lake. Opened to the public in 1956, the gardens include walking trails, an arboretum, an Azalea Overlook, picnic areas, and a visitor center.

The property blends natural and constructed elements like flagstone terraces, fountains, a lookout tower with views extending to Texas, and greenhouses. It served as both a private residence and a public horticultural space, hosting events such as concerts and Easter sunrise services.

After becoming part of Louisiana’s state parks system in 2007, the gardens were returned to the original foundation in 2018, and remain closed to the public with preservation efforts ongoing. Hodges Gardens is notable for its combination of lush botanical displays and the restoration of historically exploited land, making it a significant cultural and natural landmark in west-central Louisiana.