KEY TAKEAWAYS: New Orleans Botanical Garden will unveil its redesigned Sun Garden during a Sept. 2 community event. The garden features hundreds of cacti, succulents, agaves, yuccas and other heat-tolerant plants. The renovation uses xeriscaping and improved drainage to reduce the need for sup plemental irrigation. Louisiana residents receive free Botanical Garden admission Sept. 2, with complimentary succulents available while supplies last.   The New Orleans Botanical Garden will unveil a redesigned Sun Garden in September, showcasing hundreds of drought- and heat-tolerant plants and landscaping techniques adapted to the city’s hot climate. City Park Conservancy, which operates City Park, will hold a community event from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 2 to introduce the renovated garden. The event coincides with the Botanical Garden’s weekly free admission day for Louisiana residents, supported by The Helis Foundation. The redesigned Sun Garden features cacti, succulents, yuccas, agaves and other plants selected to withstand hot, sunny conditions. The project incorporates xeriscaping principles, which use plant selection and landscape design to reduce the need for supplemental irrigation after plants become established. “The Botanical Garden is a special part of City Park, and caring for it means continuing to nurture and enhance the spaces that make it such a unique experience for our community,” City Park Conservancy President and CEO Rebecca Dietz said in a statement. “Our horticulture team put tremendous care and hard work into bringing this vision for the Sun Garden to life.” Renovation work began in May and required the Botanical Garden’s horticulture team to modify the site’s soil and drainage to accommodate plants more commonly associated with dry environments. Workers removed much of the garden’s existing plant material while retaining two large blue agaves for the new design. The team then excavated about 3 inches of soil and added sand and pea gravel to improve drainage. Large agaves, yuccas and prickly pear cacti form the garden’s primary landscape features, with smaller succulents such as ghost plant and ice plant incorporated throughout. Rocks, washed gravel and elevation changes were also added to create the new landscape. The project provides visitors with an example of how drought-tolerant landscaping techniques can be used in New Orleans, where heavy rainfall and humid conditions can present challenges for plants that typically grow in drier climates. During the Sept. 2 event, Botanical Garden staff will discuss the renovation and provide guidance on growing succulents and drought-tolerant plants at home. Visitors can receive a complimentary succulent while supplies last. Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls will also be at the event offering City Park’s limited-edition Bloom Ball. A limited number will be provided free to visitors, with additional sno-balls available for purchase. The New Orleans Botanical Garden is located at 5 Victory Ave. in City Park. Admission Sept. 2 is free for Louisiana residents through The Helis Foundation’s free admission program. Regular admission applies to nonresidents. City Park Conservancy is the nonprofit organization responsible for the day-to-day operation of the 1,300-acre City Park in partnership with the City Park Improvement Association. The conservancy oversees the park’s programming, fundraising and membership operations. City Park receives about 16 million visits annually, according to the organization. ...read more read less