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Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials

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BIO
Biographical Sketch:
Native born Texan, grew up in Lone Oak, Texas
Currently reside in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas
Education:
B.S. Horticulture East Texas State Univ.
M.S. Horticulture The Pennsylvania State Univ.
Work History: (Click here to see
Article on Job Duties)
Senior Director of Gardens of the Dallas
Arboretum
Started May 2003
Duties include:
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Plant trials and research
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Designing all color and perennial displays
for the 66 acre garden
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Purchasing of all plant material
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Budget manager
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Industry liaison |
Information
Since 2003, I have been the Senior Director of Gardens for the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden. The Dallas
Arboretum is in essence a 66 acre display garden planting over 500,000
bulbs each year for display and over 2.3 million bedding plants.
We are considered one of the top 10 Display Gardens nationwide.
The
Dallas Arboretum Plant Trials Program has become the premiere testing
site for breeders across the globe for heat tolerance and extreme
climates. Yearly we take data on over 3,000 varieties of plants. Our
testing program trials annuals, perennials, shrubs, tropicals, bulbs and
trees, no plant new or old is excluded from our scope. We're not only
looking for the newest & neatest, but also the best of the old
varieties. The plants that excel in our trials are awarded the coveted
"FlameProof" and "Arboretum Approved" awards.
The Dallas Arboretum is the only testing site for the All America
Selections seed trial program in the state of Texas. This is the
largest, and oldest independent national testing program. In 2006 the
trial program at the Dallas Arboretum received the AAS Category III
Exemplary Education Award. Our Trial Garden were also awarded "Best
place for Design Ideas" by the Dallas Observer newspaper in 2006.
Yearly, Mr. Turner give over 45 presentations locally and nationwide,
and produces numerous articles for Trade magazines such as NMPro, Neil
Sperry All Garden Magazine, and Fine Gardening.
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Click on the picture to
see an article about me from the Dallas Morning News
Click
on Picture to see an Article on me from Texas Gardener

Click here for outsider's view of me!
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Click here for a tongue in cheek look at what I do!
"Subtlety isn't an achievment according to Turner"
The Garden Fool Marianna Greene- knows me so well!
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Prior Positions
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10 years as General Manager for Green Lake Nursery (a 60 acre
nursery specializing in hardy perennials and annuals for the Dallas/Ft.
Worth area).
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2 years as General Manager of Clint
Horticulture, Inc. A Landscape Design, Build and Maintain company.
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Have omnivorously worked in most all fields
of ornamental horticulture from retail sales, wholesale, growing,
management, florist, weeder, and waterer.
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Industry Affiliations and positions:
Texas Nursery & Landscape Association member
Region IV-Treasurer
2002-2004
Texas Nursery & Landscape Association
State Education Board
Perennial Plant Association Member - 1992
Southern Regional Director
2009-2011
Garden Writers Association-Member since 2004
Local Site Committee
Chairman for 2010 Symposium in Dallas TX
Neil Sperry Magazine- Contributing Editor
Awards:
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2005 recipient of the Curtis Taber Award
from the Texas Nursery and Landscape Assoc. region IV membership for
outstanding contributions to the Texas horticulture industry.
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2005 Plant Trials at Dallas Arboretum
Award the "Best Of" status from the Dallas Observer for best place to get
ideas and find the best plants for Texas!
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Hobbies:
Voraciously collecting, trying to grow, and murdering one of every known
annual, perennial and bulb in my search for the perfect plants for our area.
Cooking (if you can't be skinny make your friends fatter!)
Articles:
Fine Gardening
Neil Sperry Texas Gardening
Texas Gardening Magazine
TV Appearances:
Fox 4 - Deal or Dud
Gardening by the Yard
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