Lou Minatti asks the $54 million question:

Why is Discovery Green a sea of brands? Waste Management, Inc. Gardens? OK, I understand the revenue issue. Are these naming rights perpetual?

Dunno about the perpetual part, but the list of brand and donor names on the new 12-acre Downtown park’s many features does go on and on! A few of our favorites: The Kinder Large Dog Run, the Martin Family Scent Garden, and the Marathon Oil Bike Racks.

Fortunately, Houstonian Kim Borja didn’t have to pay anything to choose the park’s name — he won the naming contest:

The response was overwhelming: more than 6,200 entries were submitted, and a theme soon emerged. Houstonians wanted a name that was distinctive and unusual, including elements that mirrored Houston itself. Words such as “surprising,” “unexpected” and “vital” were reoccurring.

If this place had ended up with a name like “Unexpected Gardens,” we’d all probably want there to be a serious donation behind it.

After the jump: that long list of Discovery Green’s branded park parts — plus: a few yet-unbranded park features may still be available!

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• McNair Foundation Jogging Trail
• Waste Management, Inc. Gardens
• Lindsey Waterside Landing & Garden
• Kinder Lake
• Anheuser-Busch Stage
• Fondren Foundation Performance Space
• Cemex, USA Terrace
• Flores Terrace
• Vinson & Elkins Garden
• Alkek Building
• John P. McGovern Playground
• Stedman West Veranda
• Cullen Veranda
• Jones Lawn
• Sarofim Picnic Lawn
• Andrea and Bill White Promenade
• The Brown Foundation Promenade
• Bracewell Plaza
• Wortham Foundation Gardens
• Maconda’s Grove
• Riley Family Fountain
• Long Plaza
• Clifford and Doris Faulkner Seating Area
• Compass Bank Waterside Lawn
• Merrill Lynch & Co. Pier
• Cooper Industries Water Garden
• Monument au Fantome, a gift from the Duncan Family
• Houston Astros Garden Grove
• Carruth Lake Lights
• Gita and Ali Saberioon Plaza
• Simmons Family Stage
• Sara and Bill Morgan Reading Room
• Powell Foundation Reading Room
• Mist Tree, a gift from Fayez Sarofim
• Devon Energy Global Garden
• Robert R. and Kay M. Onstead Foundation Walk
• Harriet and Joe Foster Dog Run
• Burguieres Foundation Seating Area
• Tharp Fountain
• Kinder Large Dog Run
• Friends of Lily, Kelly & Sadie Kinder Seating Area
• Wells Fargo Seating Area
• The Bela Fountain
• L.H. and C.W. Duncan Foundation Seating Area
• Marathon Oil Bike Racks
• Centerpoint Energy Seating Areas
• Bernice Hevrdejs Butterfly Garden
• Sanders Hummingbird Garden
• Beverly and Staman Ogilvie Seating Area
• J.P. Morgan Chase Bench Area
• Jimi Derrick’s Arbor
• Wachovia Securities Seating Area
• Nancy G. Kinder Oak
• Jack C. Alexander Plaza
• Lily Chen Foster Garden
• Allen Family Rose Garden
• Mary Lents Native Plant Garden
• Fulbright & Jaworski LLP Garden
• Carruth Foundation Bocce Courts
• Hagstette Putting Green
• Michelle Rozzell Bulb Garden
• Trini’s Shuffleboard Court
• Listening Vessels, a gift from Maconda Brown O’Connor
• Martin Family Scent Garden
• Ray C. Fish Foundation Bench Area

Did we miss any?

Discovery Green officially opens April 13th. But there appear to be a few park features that still have room for an added name! According to a scan of the park plan, the remaining branding opportunities are:

• Garage Entry
• Garage Elevator
• Garage Stairs (2)
• Bandstand
• Synchronicity of Color
• The Grove
• Event Lawn
• Donor Walls
• The Lake House
• Gateway Fountain
• Model Boat Basin

• About the name ‘Discovery Green’ [Discovery Green Conservancy]
• Partners and Contributors [Discovery Green Conservancy]
• Discovery Green Park Map [Discovery Green Conservancy]
• Lisa Falkenberg pens another Pulitzer [Lou Minatti]

Photo of Fondren Foundation Performance Space, in front of Anheuser-Busch Stage, at Discovery Green: Flickr user sabotai