Community Engagement

Fish out of water: student-created art enlivens Arboretum sidewalk

The Aggie Public Arts Committee, funded mostly by the Nelson Gallery and in part by ASUCD, commissioned a mural on the sidewalk near the Nelson Gallery, along Arboretum Drive. Conceptually, the mural is based on reimagined landscapes and wildlife, using 3-D illusions of space with an element of fantasy. Next time you are in the Arboretum, we hope you’ll stop by to see it, but don’t get too attached to this design; according to Crystal Han, committee chairwoman, new artistic elements will be added before the fall 2015 school year.

Planning a vacation? Don’t leave home without your membership card!

Planning a vacation or trip? Don’t forget to take along your Friends membership card! Members of the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden can take advantage of great perks at gardens and museums across North America. Many offer FREE or reduced admission and other special discounts to Friends members through reciprocal admission programs.

Training your roses to be more drought tolerant

Taylor Lewis, nursery manager for the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, suggests that it is possible to train your roses to be more drought tolerant. His experience with roses and similar types of perennials and shrubs is that taking the time to keep them pruned back during their first summer pays dividends in water savings in the long term.

Big Day of Giving 2015 THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who gave to the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden during our region’s 24-hour Big Day of Giving on May 5th! Thanks to the generosity of current and new donors, members, volunteers, and our own staff, we raised $11,400 from 161 donors.

Festival to celebrate new garden and community connections

In celebration of the effort of multiple groups and individuals coming together to create this new outdoor, educational space and much needed connection point between the city and campus, the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is inviting the public to a community festival and official dedication of their newest garden this Sunday from 1-3 p.m. (Dedication ceremony from 1:30-1:45 p.m.)

Picnic Day float wins award

This year at our campus’s 101st annual Picnic Day celebration the Arboretum and Public Garden was awarded “Best Department Float” in the parade! It’s no wonder really…with a theme like “The Heart of our Community” we had a lot to work with!

Student-built bike racks constructed near Arboretum Gazebo

It's hard to believe that no bike parking existed here before, but now — thanks to a partnership with the UC Davis College of Engineering — the area around the Arboretum Gazebo, Nature’s Gallery Court, and the Ruth Risdon Storer Garden now are complete with spaces to lock up your two-wheeled vehicles!

We’re doubling the fundraising goal for our 2015 Big Day of Giving!

Leading up to and on May 5 our loyal fans, followers, and subscribers will be receiving more messages from us than usual from the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden because — like last year — we, along with 500+ non-profit organizations in our region, will be participating in our area’s Big Day of Giving and raising $5 million online almost solely from the support of our local audiences. The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden’s goal is a bit more mo