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“Our porch sits are a lifestyle for us. We spend a lot of time that way—not just in the morning with coffee but in the evening with wine and good music,” said Lisa Lusco, longtime resident of Prairieville.
For Lusco and her husband, the southern tradition of porch sitting is something they picked up during their years of living in New Orleans. While living in the Big Easy, they enjoyed the good music and lush greenery in their neighborhood, and when they moved to Prairieville, they sought to recreate the same carefree atmosphere to enjoy daily.
“I find there’s nothing more relaxing than having a hose in one hand and a good glass of Cabernet in the other, with tunes playing in the background as I water my garden. It’s my little slice of heaven,” said Lusco.
Despite Lusco’s laissez-faire approach to the process, her peaceful garden retreat has been hard won over the years. The whirlwind of unusual weather events in the past decade has required the couple to restart their garden on several occasions.
The flood in 2016 proved to be a major setback. The deluge, which reached Lusco’s porch, remained for days after the storm, destroying the majority of her landscaping. The intense heat and drought of 2023 brought with it a different challenge. Lusco’s plants—best suited to the typical steamy, subtropical climate of south Louisiana—suffered greatly during the dry spell. Lastly, the major snow event in January of this year served as the “ice-ing” on the cake. Several of her plants were lost to the hard freeze, despite the coverings Lusco applied to fend off the frostbite.
However, through each setback, Lusco has found peace in her gardening journey. It’s the joy that keeps her coming back, no matter the challenge.
“Nature’s not a perfect thing, and that’s the beauty of gardening,” said Lusco. “It’s my sanctuary. I’m out there all the time, barefoot, with the clippers in hand and music on in the background. I walk through the grass and just live.”
Where do you find inspiration for your garden?
I’m in a couple of gardening groups on social media. Sometimes I steal ideas, but I’m also very creative.
For example, we needed some more privacy on the side of one of our porches, and I found two gorgeous wrought-iron gates on Facebook Marketplace that came from an old home. My husband suspended them, and we have two Peggy Martin roses climbing up them, creating a very New Orleans-style privacy screen. I added some twinkle lights to it, and at night I really enjoy sitting in that little corner.
I also go to Louisiana Nursery, and they are always so helpful. I’ll bring in a picture of a little nook or cranny and give them details on how much light the area gets, along with other conditions. They’ll walk me through different options I could try, and it’s great.
How do you decide what to plant?
I like to go with the flow. I know what gets sun and what doesn’t, or what drains well and what doesn’t. I know the basics on annuals and perennials—what I’m going to lose in a freeze and what will come up again in spring.
I’m not too picky overall. I have fresh rosemary in my garden because I like to snip it and use it in my cooking. One day I was snipping it and saw some green onions sprouting up. I couldn’t remember planting green onions, so I asked my husband about it. He said, “Oh, they were going bad in the fridge, so I stuck them in the ground.” That’s how we roll.
What are some of the plants in your garden?
I have things that come up in the spring and then later in the season, so there is no bare spot. It’s taken a while to get to that place. Right now, I’m taking out some things like the zinnias and impatiens that fade in the winter.
We have magnolias, banana shrubs, drift roses, variegated ginger and regular ginger. We have a shade garden under our oak tree with a lot of coleus plants. We also have hydrangeas, irises, and lilies of the Nile. There is a wealth of potted plants around the house and some trellises, as well.
Was there anything that surprised you with how well it worked?
Tinkering with bulbs and seeing how they spring up automatically was really refreshing for me. It takes some of the guesswork out, and when you see them sprout, it’s wonderful. You think, “Wow, spring has sprung!” It’s always an exciting surprise.
Any advice?
Don’t overthink it. I did that in the beginning, but then I just decided to start sticking things in the ground to see what works. It can be costly because you might spend $10-$15 on a plant, and it might not do well—but so be it. Just try again.
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