Bill and Lydia Fontenot - Gold Louisiana Certified Habitat

ANPP congratulates Bill and Lydia Fontenot for their Gold-certified Louisiana

Certified Habitat in The Saints Street area in Lafayette. This is their second

property to be certified in the Louisiana Certified Habitat program. Their long time

homestead in Carencro, Prairie Basse, was the first to get on the map in the

state, on 4/20/2020. This address is the 361st certification, 5 years after the first!

That's a lot of habitats, Louisiana!

Bill and Lydia moved to this cottage and 6000 ft² yard a couple of years ago and

set right to work designing a wildlife habitat. They brought with them many plants

from Prairie Basse and added others from ANPP and friends. They have over 100

species of natives and native varieties in this wonderful space, and a large new

deck from which to enjoy it. Bill has been stunned by how well the plants have

done in just a short year, to which he attributes to "fantastic silt loam" soil. They

also added non-natives they value for fragrance, which their roses, sweet olive

and winter honeysuckle provide. Their beautiful yard will be on the Acadiana

Native Garden Tour May 18.