6/12/2007

U.C. Davis Arboretum

We stopped by the U.C. Davis Arboretum after our visit to the Old City Cemetery.

I only took pictures in the perennial garden where they feature plants suitable for the hot, dry summer climate of California's Central Valley. They have a nice web-tool using all these plants to help people make good choices for their Central Valley gardens.

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That gray plant in front is Leucophyllum frutescens, and behind it is Mountain Mohagony, Cercocarpus betuloides (closer look):

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And then moving back for a wider view:

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Cercis griffithii, Afghan redbud:

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Senna nemophila var. zygophylla is an interesting plant for bringing seasonal variations in texture to the garden. It has fine-textured foiliage, but these leguminous pods hang on for awhile and really change things during the summer. I imagine the color on this plant changes a lot too. I've never seen its flowers:

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Dasylirion longissimum, Mexican grass-tree:

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I like simple roses.

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And I think this little forest of Echeveria 'Imbricata' is groovy too:

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I'm totally going to work that in my garden somewhere.

The biennial Tower of Jewels, Echium wildprettii. The flowering spikes are post-bloom, but those other plants will have tall, red spikes next year.

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Stipa gigantea:

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versus Eragrostis elliotti:

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Shrubby hare's ear, Bupleurum fruticosum.

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Guara and Salvia nemerosa 'Caradonna':

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In the distance, protected trees are covered with big birds:

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Read about them here:

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(Click for a larger view.)

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I always have serious zone envy after reading your posts! I'm glad to see 'Caradonna' make an appearance, though, as that's one plant I can actually grow here myself. (And I LOVE its purple stems--they add so much to the whole picture.)

I want a forest of echeverias. And some of that eragrostis (although I think that I could find the "purple love grass" kind of eragrostis around here)... and those gorgeous trees... and...

chuck b. said...

I have some zone envy for Davis and Sacramento too...

They have really hot summers tho'. Not sure I could handle it.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chuck. I desperately need your help(s). 1st: We need a vining plants (or other suggestion) for the cutouts on the sides of the driveway. Prefer something that stays green top to bottom. We haven't decided if it should cross over the driveway or just grow up about 7 feet. 2nd: The ground cover around our tree is dead (from dog pee I guess). Any planting suggestions? We love succulents, but not sure if there's a better option. 3rd: We have a tree outside our house - no idea what kind or how to prune. We live at 88 Lyell near Cayuga (off Bosworth - down the street from the Glen Park BART stop). We'll be outside painting this weekend if you want to stop by. Thanks! stonerboy711@hotmail.com

JvA said...

I went to UC Davis one summer when I was in high school. I lived in the dorms, where they'd turn the A/C off (???) any time it got hotter than 110. And sometimes it got as high as 118.

But at least it was a dry heat.

JvA said...

118. That sounds like bullshit now. But that's really the number I remember. I just checked and saw that it got to 112 in Sacramento that summer. Not sure if Davis would normally be a few degrees hotter.

lisa said...

There is so much airy, neat-looking stuff that's "xeric"...I've tried several things, and they either freeze out or rot, even though I have sandy soil. (I'm told my sand is too "fine", and holds more water than you'd think.) I bought a plant called "big sage" from High Country Gardens in NM, and it has survived since 2003...and it's still THREE INCHES TALL like when I got it! *sigh*