Second fall plant sale showcases planting plans for DIY landscapers
PHOTO CAPTION: Customers review their shopping lists before the doors open to the final Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum plant sale of the fall season. Photo by Susie Nishio.
At the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum’s second and final plant sale of the fall season themed “Copy & Paste: Transferring Arboretum Style to Your Landscape,” customers were invited to utilize planting plans and ideas from the Arboretum for inspiration! Attendees received print outs with designs created by Director of Horticulture Ellen Zagory with a variety of plant suggestions perfect for any Valley-wise landscape. Download a copy of these planting plans here.
Perfect weather, a relaxed atmosphere and recommended shopping lists translated to individual customers purchasing more plants per person than the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum has seen before! Despite the total number of customers decreasing slightly from past plant sale events, their total sales remained steady, no small feat considering the difficult economic times that most nurseries have faced nationwide over the past few years. Thanks go to UC Davis Arboretum volunteers and student groups without whom these fundraisers could not take place!
Checkout the photos from the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum Sunday Plant Sale here. Photos by Susie Nishio.
Premiere 2012 fall plant sale inspires admirers and acquirers!
Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum hosted their first plant sale of the fall season on Saturday, September 29. The theme, “Showcasing the Plants of Nature’s Gallery Court,” highlighted the connection between the Nature’s Gallery Court GATEway Garden, the Ruth Risdon Storer Garden and the Arboretum Teaching Nursery.
In the nursery, customers were introduced to the wide array of plants featured on the Nature’s Gallery Court mural; at the mural, visitors could see which plants were available for purchase at the nursery; and, in the Storer garden they walked the landscape that inspired the mural and discovered the beauty of the plants in their mature forms. Docents and Arboretum experts were available in each location to answer questions, tell our visitors and customers the story of our latest community-built emblem and assist them in making the right choices for their own landscapes.
Great press coverage encouraged another great turnout! Read the articles here:
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Link to Davis Enterprise article
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Link to UC Davis Dateline article
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“Sizzling” plant sale scorches last year’s numbers
“Some Like It Hot: Summer Bloomers and Sizzling Clearance Deals,” the May 19 Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum plant sale, ended the spring plant sale season with number-busting counts for attendees (+26%) and proceeds (+44%) over 2011′s spring closer. Providing region-appropriate plants and outreach to the public helps the Arboretum transform home and community landscapes, share sustainable gardening strategies, and enhance wildlife habitat region-wide. In turn, plant sale proceeds support UC Davis Arboretum programs and operations.
Fortunately, May 19 temperatures broke no records. Customers, staff, and volunteers enjoyed a warm, delightful morning amid beautiful plants, advisors and specialists, partner nursery displays, sustainability experts, children, neighbors, plant lovers, and even a few well-behaved dogs! The Regional Water Authority selected this event as one of a handful of “Ask a Green Gardener” sites in honor of Water Awareness Month. The Davis Botanical Society, a long-time partner, sold an enticing array of exotic plants, as well. Many customers offered feedback on signage ideas for the Geology and Animal Science GATEways Gardens on campus. Arboretum volunteers, Solano County Master Gardeners, City of Davis staff, and UC Davis students from Plant Pathology, Alpha Phi Omega, and the ROTC helped to make this popular event a success.
SAVE THE DATES! We look forward to next fall’s plant sale season with the festive Plant Faire and Sale scheduled for Saturday, September 29, followed by a Sunday sale on October 14.
Check out our slideshow of photos from this plant sale!
