Picnic Day (and Beyond) Goings-on in the UC Davis Arboretum

The UC Davis Arboretum is one of our community’s favorite treasures. There is much to do and see just while meandering down the paths. Occasionally there are special events like plant walks and turtle talks. This weekend there will be a play presented al fresco on Picnic Day.

For planning purposes, here are activities scheduled in the Arboretum for Picnic Day (Saturday) and through the end of April.

• The Foreigner — Common House Productions, in collaboration with the arboretum, presents the Larry Shue comedy play about an Englishman named Charlie Baker, who, while visiting a fishing lodge in Georgia, pretends to be from an exotic foreign country and that he speaks no English. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, April 18-19; 10 a.m. Saturday, April 20; and 8 p.m. Sunday, April 21, and Thursday-Sunday, April 25-28. Wyatt Deck. Tickets for all performances except April 20: $10 adults, $8 students, seniors and children. Reservations can be arranged via Common House Productions’ online box office, or by email,[email protected]. The April 20 Picnic Day performance is free. See separate story.

• Poetry in the Garden: Mariam Ahmed — The featured poet grew up in Folsom and studied English literature as an undergraduate at UC Davis. She enjoys organizing poetry slams and open mic nights featuring local artists, poets and musicians. She teaches creative writing in elementary schools in Folsom and Davis, and edited and published Stories ETC. (Equality Through Creativity), a chapbook of short stories written by children. Noon-1 p.m. Thursday, April 25, Wyatt Deck.

• Folk Music Jam Sessions — Pull out your fiddles, guitars, mandolins, penny whistles, pipes, flutes, squeezeboxes  you name it!  and join your fellow musicians during the lunch hour for a little bluegrass, old-time, blues, Celtic, klezmer and other world music. All skill levels welcome. Listeners, too! Noon-1 p.m. Friday, April 26, May 10 and 24, and June 7 and 21, Wyatt Deck.

• What’s New in the Native Plant Garden? — Tour the recently renovated pathways and plantings in the Mary Wattis Brown Garden of California Native Plants for examples of native plants that work well in home landscapes. 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, meet at the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center.

• Plant sale — Make note of the day of the next sale: It’s on a Sunday, April 28, the first and only Sunday sale of the spring season. Open to the public. Members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and the Davis Botanical Society receive 10 percent off their plant purchases at every sale. Join the friends organization at the gate to receive 10 percent off, plus a $10-off coupon. More information on membership and the associated benefits. The spring sale season concludes with a clearance sale, Saturday, May 18. All sales run from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Arboretum Teaching Nursery.

• Turtle Talk and Tour — A history of turtles in the arboretum, presented by undergraduates Jennifer McKenzie and Robyn Screen, who also will present their recent research on the effect of invasive, introduced turtles on the native turtles. Followed by a tour of turtle “hot spots” along the arboretum waterway. 1-3 p.m. Sunday, April 28, Wyatt Deck.

 

Image credit: facilities.ucdavis.edu