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 May 11
Make the most of the lower temperatures early in the week. We’ll be back in the 80s by Thursday.
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. Time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters. (You also can transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.)
* Plant dahlia tubers.
* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.
* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.
* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.
* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.
* Add mulch to the garden to maintain moisture. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch-to-1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.
* Remember to weed! Pull those nasties before they set seed.
* Water early in the day and keep seedlings evenly moist.