Zone IX Meeting of the Garden Club of America

The Shreveport Garden Study Club was honored to host the Zone IX Meeting of the Garden Club of America on April 1–2, 2025. Delegates from the 21 clubs of Zone IX—representing Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana—gathered in Shreveport for a program centered on migratory birds and the importance of habitat preservation.

Mayor Tom Arceneaux proclaimed April 1–2 as #FlyandFlourish days in Shreveport in honor of the meeting and welcomed the GCA membership to the city.

Highlights of the meeting included visits to the American Rose Center, the Pinola Conservancy Aviary, and the Goodman IMAX Theater at Sci-Port Discovery Center, where attendees viewed Wings over Water, narrated by Michael Keaton. The film, which follows the epic journeys of the Sandhill Crane, Yellow Warbler and Mallard Duck, reinforced the meeting’s conservation theme. A featured address was given by Laura-Ashley Overdyke, Executive Director of the Caddo Lake Institute, which works to protect Caddo Lake through restoration of water flows, watershed quality, invasive species control, and land conservation.

At the Awards Dinner, the Garden Club of America honored the Shreveport community with two commendations recognizing outstanding local contributions.

Conservation Commendation – to Paul and Beverly Dickson of the Pinola Conservancy Aviary for their leadership in migratory bird conservation.

Historic Preservation Commendation – to the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce for its stewardship of its Romanesque and Italian Revival headquarters, designed by architect J.P. Annan.

A GCA flower show, Fly & Flourish, was held at the historic Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce and was open to the public. The show featured competitions in floral design, horticulture, needle arts, botanical arts, and photography, while the Fly-By Boutique at the Shreveport Hilton offered additional opportunities for engagement.