Dear friends of Klehm,

Klehm Arboretum has come a long way since it was known as Rockford Nursery in 1910. In the last century it's grown from an incubator for experimental plantings to a world-class arboretum - fostering appreciation and knowledge of our plant world as a hidden treasure of and invaluable resource for the Rockford region.

2013 was a year of growth for Klehm, both as a garden and as an organization. A few of our accomplishments this year:

•  Fun in the gardens: Foodies and gardeners alike came out in September for Twilight in the Garden - reinvigorated as a gourmet experience under the stars - and the inaugural Wine Tasting and Luminary Walk.
•  At least one pup found a home thanks to Klehm: Hiking for Hounds: The Costume Contest had a record number of participants, and Klehm was delighted to host five local animal rescue organizations at the event.
•  Serving our community: Our Plant-A-Row garden produced a record 2,078 lbs of fresh vegetables for the Rock River Valley Food Pantry.  
•  Pleasing your senses: New specimens were added to the Rhododendron and Azalea Dell, a must-see next spring!

You can help! Your generous donation today will ensure that Klehm can continue delivering our mission: to maintain a living museum for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all people.

In 2014 we will continue to revitalize our gardens. Planning began this fall for enhancements to the Nancy Olson Children's Garden and the demonstration garden area.   We will continue to offer family programming to provide opportunities to connect with nature and deliver relevant educational opportunities for lifelong learning. Today we are asking you to help us continue our work with a donation.

Sincerely,

 Daniel S. Riggs, Executive Director

P.S. Don't forget, it's you who keeps our gardens growing!