Parks, Gardens & The Zoo in New Orleans

New Orleans’s verdant vegetation and expansive tree canopy is one of its many charms, with greenery bursting from small condo courtyards, lavish mansion landscaping, abundantly overflowing terrace pots—and wonderful public parks and gardens. Glorious live oak trees are a hallmark of the city, seen spreading across streets and over roofs everywhere (an amazing 320 million trees were lost to Hurricane Katrina, including many old oaks; thankfully, plenty also survived). The city’s parks and gardens can be an inviting respite from pounding the sightseeing pavement.