What makes Baton Rouge so beautiful? There’s no doubt that the lush landscape is part of the city’s allure, especially with places like the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden and the LSU Hilltop Arboretum that house colorful blooms and native plants for all to enjoy.

The LSU Hilltop Arboretum will host its PlantFest Teaser this Sunday, September 18, from 1 until 4 p.m. Guests will hear a lecture by Allen Ownings, research coordinator with the LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station. Ownings will talk about plants that thrive in area gardens and will take guests on a walk-through of the PlantFest site. Tickets are $10 for Hilltop members and $15 for non-members.

The Teaser is a lead-up event before the arboretum’s 33rd annual PlantFest, a two-day plant shopping spree that’s set for October 1 and 2. The event will feature a wide selection of plants ranging from trees, shrubs, ferns, fruits and more.

Turn your green-thumb focus from planting to decorating next Thursday, September 22, as Joel Franklin of Peregrin’s Florist presents a program on “Holiday Decorating with Herbs and Botanicals” at the Burden Conference Center at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at 6:30 p.m. Franklin will teach attendees to use natural materials to give any interior or exterior a dose of elegance just in time for the holiday season.