2010-2011 Annual Report

Notable Accomplishments

The Garden was added to the Southern Living Plant Collection website
Increased online donations 275%, with donation revenue at $108,863 – significantly impacted by the eagle cam
Received a Chase Community Giving award - $125,000 for the Without Boundaries, Wild Eagle Encounters education program
Began acquiring cuttings for developing a comprehensive collection of McDonald hybrid azaleas
Began work with the National Arboretum to acquire a collection of the best original Glenn Dale hybrid azaleas
Planted 4,500 daffodil bulbs in Flowering Arboretum turf areas
Acquired a Bobcat mini-loader with funding from Norfolk Botanical Garden Foundation
Sold 4,130 new or renewing memberships at the information desk
Created a Video of Thanks that was mailed to major donors
Reorganized boat and tram program/staff resulting in $25,000 budget savings and exceeded the $38,000 income goal by $4,067
Partnered with Little Creek Elementary School to provide a specialized 6 month program to help 20 targeted students pass science Standards of Learning
Created and implemented a new Garden Patron donor program to upgrade members and to secure ongoing donations

277,221	Total Attendance
22,751	Children's program attendance
826	Number of children's programs
5,362	Lifelong learning program attendance
590	Number of lifelong learning programs
8,193	Total memberships
1,200	Volunteers
27,442	Volunteer hours
956	Total functions requiring setup
7,800	Plants added to the permanent landsdcape (does not include bulbs, pansies and annuals)

Made Picnic Area parking lot improvements
Implemented Garden-wide azalea renovations
Mapped all benches in the garden
Began partnership with Old Dominion University for orchid propagation and preservation
Prepared and planted new beds in the Sunken Garden
Implemented a successful Butterfly House re-opening for the season
Installed an African succulent display on the Education terrace
Planted 80 new roses (Black Magic, Bolero, Cinnamon Twist, Henry Fonda, Salsa, Walking on Sunshine, Angel Face and Gold Medal)
Reshaped a Conifer Garden path and installed granite stone steps
Began Reflection Garden installation with granite compass points, cobblestone edging, seat wall, irrigation and pool
Installed vertical granite support stones and bell in the Japanese Garden
Installed two new arbors and pathways around fountains in the Rose Garden
Prepared more than 3,500 cuttings in fall 2010 for summer 2011 Garden use and the plant sale
Produced 5,300 pansy pots (6” pot with 3 plugs = 15,900 plugs)
Assisted Spence Marine in boathouse removal
Built new barn in WOW
Painted and installed trellises on the Administration auditorium wall in the Sunken Garden
Constructed new boat basin observation deck
Constructed new butterfly chrysalis display structure in Butterfly House
Acquired new 300 gallon pesticide skid sprayer

Enchanted Storybook Forest 2010 exhibit attendance: 76,252
Completed three major visitor experience reviews and reports with consultant, Roger Birkel, including an IMLS grant submission for guest services
Successfully opened Get Lost! Be aMAZEd 2011 summer exhibit and Butterfly House
Lifelong learning programs exceeded budget goal by $12,546
Partnered with ForKids to select campers to attend 8 sessions/summer of NatureKids Camp
Summer Camp 2010 had record attendance and $72,210 income
Published annual report online
The website had 784,348 visits, a 113% increase over previous year
Added select gift shop items for online sales
Increased volunteer partnerships with outside agencies by 100%
Launched Facebook, YouTube and Twitter programs and encouraged growth of social media presence

Collected over $454,098 in admissions and other fees
Over 20 plant societies meet here regularly and the following held their annual shows and sales at the Garden: Garden Club of Virginia (72nd Rose Show), Camellia Society (spring and summer shows), Tidewater Daylily Society, African Violet Society, Rhododendron Society and Virginia Bonsai Society
Baker Hall improvements included new display stands for maps and brochures
Contracted Orapax as the new Café partner
Coordinated the following events: March Into Summer, Opening Day of Butterfly House and Summer Maze Exhibit, Garden of Lights, five regattas, Mother’s Day Plant Sale and Grapevine Wine Social
Hosted 113 weddings
Hosted our 3rd Annual Bridal Open House
Added the Hilton Norfolk Airport Catering to our Exclusive Catering List
Hosted familiarization tours for 120 tour planners in conjunction with Norfolk Convention and Visitor Bureau
Created the “Special Events Manual” which serves as a guide to major events and outlines the process of booking/executing each event
Set up and broke down 956 events including, education programs, Garden meetings, rentals, special events and weddings
Conducted a thorough inventory of event/rental equipment and started a replacement program for old and worn out equipment

Major membership milestone: over 8,000 members have joined and over $500,000 in revenue
Staff and board members hosted 52 potential donors through private lunch tours and after hours donor events at the Garden
Secured funding for a WPA Garden history vignette hosted by John Quarstein to air on WHRO for two years beginning June 2011
Garden of Lights:
- Secured a new three-year corporate partner with Dominion
- Secured a new sponsor for Monday Military Appreciation Nights with USAA doubling military family attendance
- Food Lion sponsored for the sixth year in a row
Secured an exclusive summer exhibit sponsor with Capital Group Companies
Created a new partnership with Bon Secours to help launch a first time garden walk highlighting our Healthier You programs in June 2011
Cultivated and secured pledges from area Garden Clubs to help construct the new Reflection Garden.
Created a new first time event Million Bulb Walk during the Garden of Lights preview weekend with a new sponsor Williams Mullen
Received a grant from The Virginian Pilot to host 12 homeless ForKids children at the NatureKids summer camp
Four new Evergreen Society members joined this year
Created and mailed the Garden’s first planned giving letter/postcard to members
Created two surveys to improve retention of lapsed members and email addresses of those who unsubscribed from Garden e-newsletters