A lush, sun-dappled patio in the UC Davis Arboretum Terrace Garden, featuring metal café tables and chairs surrounded by flowering plants, large ceramic pots, and mature shade trees. In the center, a repurposed stone fountain now serves as a raised planter filled with drought-tolerant vegetation. The garden exudes a peaceful, Mediterranean-inspired ambiance with abundant greenery and filtered light.

Arboretum Terrace Garden and Lois Crowe Patio Reopens

Celebrates 25 Years as a Model for Sustainable Gardening

by FOA Communications
Wed, May 21, 2025

A low-angle view of a wooden pergola casting striped shadows on a sunny patio in the UC Davis Arboretum Terrace Garden. Beneath the pergola are small round café tables and metal chairs, framed by a black metal fence and vibrant green plants. Sunlight shines through the slats, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

New Visiting Hours

The Arboretum Terrace Garden and Lois Crowe Patio will be open to the public weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. beginning Thurs., May 29.

Learn more

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is delighted to announce the reopening of the Arboretum Terrace Garden and Lois Crowe Patio, nestled on the east side of the Davis Commons Shopping Center. Following an extensive refresh, the garden reopens to the public on Thursday, May 29 — just in time to celebrate its 25th anniversary as a vibrant, Mediterranean-inspired gathering space.

Looking back

Originally established in 2000, the Terrace Garden has long served as a cherished location for campus and community members to relax, reflect, and explore Valley-wise gardening. In 2007, generous support from Arboretum and Public Garden donors John and Lois Crowe enriched the space with pergolas, patios, and other welcoming amenities. The 2025 refresh honors the original design while enhancing the garden’s plantings and infrastructure to ensure it remains beautiful, accessible, and resilient in a changing climate.

The garden had been temporarily closed due to a combination of challenges — including operational and safety concerns, the departure of a key retail partner (Whole Foods Market) that had assisted with daily access, and the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing and volunteer availability.

Garden Refresh and Redesign

llustrated planting plan for the UC Davis Arboretum Terrace Garden, created by Marika Brown and dated February 7, 2025. The plan shows a symmetrical layout with labeled plant groupings on both sides of a central patio area. It includes a diverse selection of climate-adapted plants such as redtwig dogwood, desert willow tree, Baja pitcher sage, coral yucca, blue bunchgrass, lenten rose, and several species from the Arboretum All-Stars and Texas Tree Trial collections. Color-coded plant symbols and hand-drawn — Arboretum Terrace Garden and Lois Crowe Patio Planting Plan created by Marika Brown, landscape adaptation fellow. Download a larger version here.

Rather than simply reopen the garden as it was, the Arboretum and Public Garden team embraced the opportunity to reimagine its future. Key improvements include the transformation of two fountains into planting areas, the removal of overgrown or unhealthy trees, and landscape adjustments that restored sunlight to key sections of the garden — enabling a wider variety of climate-adapted species to flourish.

Sustainability and pollinator support were central to the plants selected for the new design. About one-third of the new plantings are Arboretum All-Stars or Future Favorites — top-performing plants selected for their success in Central Valley conditions. Additional highlights include species featured in the Arboretum and Public Garden’s Texas Tree Trials.

The redesign was led by Marika Brown, UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden’s landscape adaptation fellow, with guidance from Emily Griswold, director of horticulture, and Rachel Davis and Kitty Bolte, GATEways horticulturists. Their collaborative vision blends beauty, climate-readiness, and educational value — turning the garden into both a refuge and a resource.

Team Effort

The transformation also reflects the dedication of many. Ian Garske and J.D. Sturgeon, senior building maintenance workers from the Arboretum and Public Garden’s Grounds team, led efforts to remove outdated signage, convert fountain basins, repair pathways, install kiosks, and refinish garden furniture. Other members of the Grounds team — including the irrigation crew and tree crew — retrofitted the watering system to support new plantings and carried out essential tree pruning and removals. The horticulture team, California Climate Action Corps fellows, College Corps interns, and community volunteers — contributed to invasive plant removal, large-scale planting days, extensive weeding, pruning, and mulching.

Still to Come

Later this year, new plant labels and interpretive signage will be installed to deepen visitor engagement and connect the Terrace Garden to the broader UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden experience. Special events and programs celebrating the reopening and 25th anniversary are planned for fall 2025.

To learn more, visit:
https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/arboretum-terrace-garden-and-lois-crowe-patio