- We consider the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden to have the largest outdoor floral display of any garden in the southwest. With over 500,000 bedding plants planted per year and 450,000 bulbs. 750,000 visitors per year visit our garden.
- We have over 2 acres of test site, and an additional 66 acres of display garden. Also, we have a "secure" trial site for trialing pre-released materials for breeders.
- The Plant Trials Program is a no-cost testing facility. We only ask that you send enough material(URC, plugs, etc.) for us to make 2 replications of the test.
- Winners of our trial program may be awarded our "FlameProof Award" for plants that can really take the heat, or our "Arboretum Approved Award" for any plant or product that we believe has merit in our local environment.
- Our trial program is funded by voluntary contributions of breeders, suppliers, growers, and the local horticulture industry.
- We take data yearly on over 6,000 entries. These include annuals, perennials, tropicals, bulbs, shrubs & trees. At the end of each trial season you will be emailed letting you know that results are ready to view on our website at www.dallasplanttrials.org.
- Data is taken bi-weekly on all trial plants.
- We are a premier site for heat tolerance and extreme climate plant testing in the US. On average we get more than 60 days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with night temperatures seldom below 85 during the summer. We experience severe floods and droughts. We have alkaline clay soil in the pH of 8.5 to 9.5 (all gardens here are planted in heavily amended soils)
- Yearly we host an industry only field day for the prior year's results. On average we have over 500 growers, landscapers, landscape architects, breeders etc. in attendance.
- Articles and e-blasts are sent yearly to promote the plants we test. Any photos, data, spreadsheets, quotes, etc. that we produce are free for use.