The Central Valley is home to a wide variety of native, perennial bunchgrasses that make a great addition to the home garden. Here are Horticulturist Kitty Bolte's recommendations for 10 species of native grasses you should consider.

How one family transitioned from lawn to a mix of low-water, region-appropriate plantings.

Ann Daniel, volunteer and former board president for the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, moved to Davis from Austin, Texas and quickly got to work creating a climate-ready landscape for her own yard as well as helping serve as a catalyst for the development of other test gardens in her retirement community.

Taylor Lewis, nursery manager, recommends a few plants he doesn't want you to miss when shopping at our upcoming plant sales. In addition to his brief critiques we included more information about these selections from our plant inventory photo gallery.

This fall, as part of our affiliation with Bee Campus USA, the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is encouraging residents to “leave the leaves”, a seasonal effort to provide habitat for beneficial insects, pollinators, and other invertebrates. 

A heritage California buckeye trunk in our Native American Contemplative Garden now serves as a natural sculpture and critter habitat.

We are fortunate to live in California, with its wondrous diversity of flora and large natural areas that are not only places of beauty but also sources of spiritual and emotional refreshment.

As we look to the future, we want to broaden our scope to support landscapes that are not just sustainable, but also resilient. Find plant recommendations and tips on how to build a resilient garden at home.

The Arboretum Public Garden's Learning by Leading™ Sustainable Horticulture team is creating another low-water landscape along Garrod Drive adjacent to the Large Animal Blood Donor Facility.