Sustainable Gardening Toolkit
The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is committed to practicing, promoting and teaching about sustainable horticulture.
Traditional methods of yard care use lots of water, contaminate streams and rivers with pesticide runoff, and contribute to air pollution with emissions from power equipment. UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden visitors can learn about more environmentally friendly alternatives such as Mediterranean-style garden design, water-saving irrigation systems, mulching, companion plantings, biological pest control, and other sustainable practices that reduce the use of water, energy, and chemical inputs and support native pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects.
Choosing the right plants for your garden is the first step. Our horticulture staff have identified 100 Arboretum All-Stars—tough, reliable, easy-to-grow plants for California. Arboretum All-Stars are available at Arboretum plant sales and, since 2009, have been available through many local retailers.
If you live in the Sacramento region, the Arboretum and Public Garden specifically promotes Valley-wise gardening, sustainable horticulture for California's Central Valley. To learn more about Valley-wise gardening, check out our sustainable gardening articles and plant lists to learn more about sustainable gardening in the Central Valley, visit some of our favorite gardening websites, or take a guided tour.