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The arboretum's fall plant sales are set to begin Sept. 25 — a week earlier than usual to help gardeners get a jump on their fall planting.

A second fall sale is scheduled for Oct. 16.

Here are the details:

• Sept. 25 — This sale, with a special focus on California native plants, will be open to members only from 9 to 11 a.m., and to the public at large from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. "Members" refers to members of the Friends of the swag���� Arboretum; you can join at the gate to get early admission as well as a free plant. All members receive a 10 percent discount.

The season-opening sale will feature children's activities and live music — and, as always, free gardening advice.

• Oct. 16 — Focus on fall planting, with experienced gardeners available to help shoppers choose the best plants for their garden designs and conditions. Open to the public, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Once again, you can sign up at the gate, to be a member of Friends of the UC Davis Arboirertum, and thereby receive a free plant and the same 10 percent discount that all members receive.

More information from an arboretum news release: Fall is the best planting time in the Central Valley, so that young plants can get their roots established during the rainy winter before they have to face the hot, dry summer. Gardeners thinking about adding to their home landscapes can get ready for fall planting now by researching plants and designing new garden areas.

Before you buy new plants, it is helpful to see them in the ground, grown to their mature size, to see what you are really getting. One of the best ways to learn about plants you would like to have in your home landscape is to visit the arboretum, where you can see more than 22,000 plants that are adapted to Central Valley conditions displayed in beautiful garden settings.

About the arboretum

The arboretum gardens are always open, with no admission charge. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The arboretum offers a jam-packed calendar of tours and other events. See below for upcoming activities.

You are invited to check out the arboretum website. The Valley-Wise Gardening section provides information on the Arboretum All-Stars, the top recommended plants for Central Valley gardens. You will also find sample planting designs for a California native plant garden, a low-maintenance garden and a pollinator garden, using Arboretum All-Stars.

More information on the arboretum, including the fall sales, is available online or by telephone, (530) 752-4880.

MORE AT THE ARBORETUM

Tour — An Oak Oasis in August. The arboretum's oak collection, one of the largest in the nation, makes for a shady place in summer. On this walk along the new Oak Discovery Trail, your guide will discuss oak ecology and the importance of oaks in human culture through time and around the world. 10 a.m. Aug. 14, gazebo.

Folk Music Jams — 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 Aug. 20, Sept. 3 and 17, and Oct. 1, 15 and 29, Wyatt Deck.

Tour — Discover Plants from Down Under. Plants from Australia grow well in our Mediterranean climate. Learn about the fascinating flora of Australia and see what can grow in your yard. 10 a.m. Sept. 11, Wyatt Deck, Old Davis Road

Tour — Shade or Sun? Find the Perfect Spot for Your Plant. Explore the Storer Garden to learn how sun and shade should guide where you locate plants in your garden. 10 a.m. Sept. 12, gazebo.

All events are free and open to the public. More information: (530) 752-4880 or (for directions, click on “Plan Your Visit”).