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Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials

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Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials Sponsorship

Greetings!

I would like to thank you for your past support of the Dallas Arboretum Trial Program and once again ask you to participate in helping us continue to grow. With your support and that of others in the local and state industry we can continue to build and grow our program into a unique and useful trial program unlike any other.

In 2008 our annual Plant Trials Field Day hosted over 500 attendees from the horticulture industry from across the state, nation and worldwide! Next year and we're hoping for even more.

Internally our trial program has a limited budget for growth and maintenance. Many trial programs charge an entry fee to breeders for every plant tested. I feel this puts an unfair burden on the progenitor, and only allows me to test plants that are "sent & paid for". I would prefer to be unbiased and to have the freedom to test any plant I can find and give an honest evaluation of it. The Dallas Arboretum is a non-profit organization funded partially by the City of Dallas, but the majority of our revenue comes from admission, rentals, and donations. We are proud that our budget has balanced every year in the black since our inception in 1980.

I would like the opportunity to partner with you in expanding our trial program. We desperately need the help and support of the horticulture industry to make this trial garden useful to all gardeners. There are many different opportunities and levels for sponsorship and I would be honored by any help we receive. If you have other ideas about how to improve our program or what I could do to help your business, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Remember to save Wednesday June 24th

for our Industry Plant Trials Field Day for 2009

Trial by Flower!

If we can't kill it no one can!!!

TRIAL GARDEN SPONSORSHIP

Your Sponsorship of the Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials program will help us offset the annual costs of the following key areas;

Î       Plant Trials Field Day

Î       Upgrading and maintaining our trials area

Î     Funding to visit Pack Trials in California

Î     Adding an internship program

Î     Software, computer, camera, website and other technology

For specific information on each of these areas please see the attached documents. Your donation will be used to fund these programs in order of priority. If you have specific areas you would like to sponsor please contact me directly.

BENEFITS
As a Trials Program Sponsor of any amount you will be listed as a sponsor of the Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials Program on our website, as a Field Day Sponsor and on our donor sign in the Main Trial Garden. The lead sponsors name will be posted on all print material and information disseminated from the trial program. As our sponsor you are licensed to list in your advertising as a sponsor of the Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials Program for 1 year. Additional benefits of free memberships, advertising in newsletter, and free rentals are dependent on the amount given; please see the attached Donor Levels for those benefits. All gifts are tax deductible whether of cash or in-kind.

PLANT TRIALS SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

Î       Lead sponsor        $10,000.00 to $15,000.00

Î       Platinum                $5,000.00 to $9,999.00

Î       Gold                        $2,500.00 to $4,999.00

Î       Silver                       $1,000.00 to $2,499.00

Î       Bronze                    $500.00 to $999.00

Î Copper $250.00 to $499.00

PLANT TRIALS PROGRAM INFORMATION

The Dallas Arboretum Trial Gardens were created for the purpose of expanding our research efforts and providing information to the public and Texas horticulture industry. The main focus of our program is to locate and evaluate new and unused plant material for the extreme climate of the Metroplex and North Central Texas. Information generated from the trials is provided free of charge to commercial plant producers, retailers, and home gardeners.

With 66 acres of display garden and over 2 acres of test site the Dallas Arboretum is dedicated to being the leader in plant testing in the south. We test numerous cool and warm season annuals, perennials, shrubs and bulbs. We are also an All-America Selections Trial and Display Garden. Each year the Dallas Arboretum takes data on over 3,000 different plant varieties and cultivars. The best of these are awarded our "Arboretum Approved" or "FlameProof" awards. To see a current list of winners please visit our web page at

http://www.dallasplanttrials.org/Winners%20List.htm

The climate of north Central Texas is an ideal place for plant trials. Our growing environment is a region of extremes in temperature, moisture, soils and sunlight. Many plants have not been tested in our particular area. Analogous regions in the same zone do not suffer from our high night temperatures, saturating spring rains followed by summer drought, soil pH's that can range from 7.2 to 8.9, and long growing season. Our challenging climate is the perfect place to "find" the toughest plants alive! Over 100 different companies support our trial garden by donating seeds and plant material to be trialed in our area.

Because the trial gardens are always open for public viewing, it offers new visibility for plant selections currently on the market and those soon to be available. Growers, retailers, and home gardeners can visit the trial garden and observe new plants side by side with industry standards. The Dallas Arboretum funds two full-time positions dedicated to the trial program, Jimmy Turner as Director of Horticulture Research and the Trials Manager. In 2008 over 50 presentations and 50+ articles were given by Jimmy Turner, Director of Horticulture Research. A radio spot on the "Neil Sperry Show" (KRLD 1080 AM) high-lights a new plant for North Texas each week, and a plant of the month on the Neil Sperry e-letter reaches is seen by over 20,000 Texas gardeners. Our website

www.dallasplanttrials.org has been updated with information about our sponsors, recommended plants, and downloadable presentations.

ITEMS TO BE FUNDED

With Trial Income

INDUSTRY PLANT TRIALS FIELD DAY

Last year the Dallas Arboretum hosted its 7^th annual Plant Trials Field Day, with over 500 participants from the industry in attendance. This year we expect increased attendance and participation, our date is set for Wednesday June 24, 2008.

Invitations for our 2009 Field Day will go out in March. This event is open only to professional members of the horticulture industry. Trade Show space will be provided (free of charge) for sponsors to have information available to the attendees.

The expected costs for Field Day is $10,000.00, this includes rental costs for chairs, tables, lunch, printing, etc.

TRIAL GARDEN EXPANSION & MAINTENANCE

We are receiving so much material that my limiting factor is garden space. There is more area allocated, but funds are needed to create the new beds. The expenses of soil amendments, irrigation, and labor are not in my budget. Expected cost for this is $5,000.00

INTERSHIP PROGRAM

With the increased exposure of our trials program we have had numerous requests from colleges nationwide to add a horticulture intern program. This would be a 6 week paid work program that would allow horticulture students to study and learn from the Dallas Arboretum Horticulture staff and Plant Trials Program. Initially we would like to add two interns that would allow us to take additional data, photos and measurements in our trials area. This is an annual cost of $5,000.00

PACK TRIALS

Myself and my assistant are planning to attend the 2009 Pack Trials in California to meet breeders of new plant material, solicit plants for donations and to promote our trial program to the national suppliers. I am requesting help with airfare, hotel expenses, and rental car expenses. Total Cost is estimated to be $3,000.00.

GREENHOUSE

With so many entries into our trial program we need to expand our growing space. Currently we are operating out of 2 quonset huts. I would like to build additional greenhouses and to repair our existing structures.

IN-KIND DONATIONS

Also, above and beyond my position as Director of Horticulture Research I am in charge of designing and purchasing all plant material for the Arboretum. If you have extra materials, we are always interested in IN-KIND donations of color, perennials, or woody plant material. We by no means have the funding to completely plant the 66 acres of the Dallas Arboretum and your IN-KIND donations will add to our garden. The Dallas Arboretum is a Non-Profit organization so all donations are Tax Deductible.