Popular tour led by Warren Roberts highlights spring flowers in the public gardens
Enjoy the knowledge -- and the sense of humor -- of Warren Roberts during his free arboretum tour Wednesday. Courtesy UC Davis Arboretum
Who’s ready for a walk with Warren?
Everybody’s favorite garden guide and raconteur returns Wednesday, April 9, to guide a tour of the UC Davis Arboretum’s gardens in bloom.
Warren Roberts, the Arboretum’s superintendent emeritus, will lead one of his popular monthly walks through the gardens. Meet at noon at the Shields Gazebo, located in the arboretum’s White Flower Garden south of Garrod Drive and the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on the UC Davis campus. The walk is scheduled to be 1 hour long.
With warm and sunny weather, this walk should be special as spring flowers fill the gardens.
“Get ready to immerse yourself in the vivid beauty of spring as you embark on a midday adventure through the gardens and collections of the UC Davis Arboretum with your guide Warren Roberts, superintendent emeritus,” say the organizers. “Renowned for his captivating storytelling and playful puns, Warren leads participants on an always-engaging exploration of the Arboretum’s seasonal highlights.
“Whether you’re a seasoned plant enthusiast or simply eager to revel in the tranquility of nature, this experience promises to be both educational and delightful,” they add. “This event is open to all and free of charge, encouraging everyone to come together and embrace the wonders of nature within the Arboretum’s picturesque grounds.”
Admission to the arboretum and the tour are free, but parking is not. Hourly parking ($1.75) is available along Garrod Drive. Or plan to stay longer and park in nearby Lot 55 with an all-day parking pass ($15).
Details and directions: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/.
Roberts' next tour will be noon Wednesday, May 8.
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.