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SHOVEL SCULPTURE

We don’t know what it will look like, the sculpture that will be part of the “urban greening” at the east end of the arboretum, but we know the arboretum is collecting used spades, trowels and shovels of all kinds, to go into the project.

You can drop them off at any of the plant sales this season: Saturday, March 9; Saturday, April 6; Sunday, April 28; and Saturday, May 18. Each sale runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the .

Time to "dig in" for another season of arboretum plant sales, starting Saturday (March 9).

It's the annual Member Appreciation Sale, complete with  music, refreshments and children's activities.

Admission is limited to members of and the . Not a member? No worries — you can join the friends organization at the gate!

All arboretum friends and Davis Botanical Society members receive 10 percent off their plant purchases at every sale, and an additional $10 off at the Member Appreciation Sale. (New members, those who join the day of the sale, will get the same benefits.)

The sale — called "Dig In! Our Next 75 Years" — is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the . You'll have first pick of the area¹s largest selection of attractive, low-water, easy-care, region-appropriate plants, including Arboretum All-Stars — and

Organizers said the sale will honor the culmination of the arboretum’s 75th anniversary year and recognize the arboretum's role within the new �ٺ���Ƶ Arboretum and Public Garden, encompassing the entire campus. The program will address "what that means to the community and the exciting changes they can expect to be a part of."

This season's other sales, all open to the public, are scheduled for Saturday, April 6; Sunday, April 28; and Saturday, May 18. The times and place are always the same: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Arboretum Teaching Nursery.

MORE AT THE ARBORETUM

• Storytime Through the Seasons: Under the Persian Oak — A new edition of Storytime, this time with a reading program about the natural and cultural world of the Middle East, and hands-on activities having to do with the diversity of oak trees. For children and families. The Arboretum Ambassadors (�ٺ���Ƶ students) who present Storytime said this program will follow the same general structure of other family events, but will make accommodations for children with special learning needs. The group sizes will be smaller, with more individual attention to each child; and the activities will be very flexible to accommodate different learning styles and abilities. 1-3 p.m. Sunday, March 10, (in case of rain: 146 ).

• Walk With Warren — Warren Roberts, arboretum superintendent emeritus, leads a tour among beautiful redbuds and blooming California wildflowers.  Noon Wednesday, March 13, meet at (arboretum headquarters).

• Folk Music Jam Sessions — Pull out your fiddles, guitars, mandolins, penny whistles, pipes, flutes, squeezeboxes — you name it! — and join your fellow musicians during the lunch hour for a little bluegrass, old-time, blues, Celtic, klezmer and other world music. All skill levels welcome. Listeners, too! Noon-1 p.m. Friday, March 15 and 29, .

All programs are free and open to the public. More information: (530) 752-4880 or (for directions, click on “Plan Your Visit”). Keep up with arboretum news by reading The Leaflet e-newsletter. To start receiving it, send an email to arboretum@ucdavis.edu, with “newsletter” in the subject line.