AT THE ARBORETUM

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 Friday, April 15 and 29, and May 13 and 27, Wyatt Deck.

Spring Musical Gatherings — Two casual affairs a month apart, featuring the Sacramento City College World Music Ensemble in its first collaboration with the arboretum. Everyone is welcome to sit back (bring chairs!) and enjoy the music. You're also welcome to bring your own instruments and join in. Bob Wren, Sacramento City College instructor, will direct. 4-6 p.m., Sunday, April 17, and 5-7 p.m. Sunday, May 15, gazebo.

Arboretum on Wheels! — The university's treasured trees (and plants) and a prized tradition (bicycling) come together in this program, with people invited to bring their bikes for a two-wheeled tyour through the arboretum. 2 p.m., Sunday, April 24, meet at the gazebo. In the event of rain, this event will be postponed to Saturday, May 28. For more information, call Brett Anne, (925) 286-5485.

Plant sale — Gardening for the Senses, featuring plants for color, texture and fragrance — with experienced gardeners on hand to help you choose the best plants for your garden design and conditions. Ten percent discount for members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum; new members receive a free plant. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 30, Arboretum Teaching Nursery.

Drawing Closer to Nature with Peter London — Drawing and painting workshop for artists of all skill levels. The instructor is an active studio artist whose work is in many public and private collections, and who has taught and lectured in art, art education and art therapy across North America and in Europe for the last 40 years. He is the author of Drawing Closer to Nature (2001), Community Based Art Education (1993) and No More Secondhand Art (1987), and numerous articles. He is an arboretum volunteer and friend, and he is donating all proceeds from this workshop to the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum. Workshop fees: $75, or $65 members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum. Materials included. Preregistration required, online or by phone, (530) 752-4880. Limited to 20 participants. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, May 1, Wyatt Deck. (In the event of rain, this program will be moved to 146 Environmental Horticulture.)

Bugtopia: Discover Everyday Insects — An all-ages tour, led by the Arboretum Ambassadors, environmental leadership interns. They will focus on the arboretum's hidden insect wonders, teaching the names of common insects, and discussing their life cycles and the ecological relationships between insects and plants. 2 p.m. Sunday, May 1, gazebo.

Walk with Warren: California Wildflowers — With Warren Roberts, retired superintendent of the arboretum. Noon Wednesday, May 11, gazebo.

Poetry in the Garden: Amy Champ — The presenter is a graduate student of performance studies at UC Davis, a filmmaker, and a teacher of yoga and meditation, as well as a poet. Her research and writing deal with yoga studies, women’s sacred arts, ritual performance and transnational feminism. Noon-1 p.m. Thursday, May 12, Wyatt Deck. (In the event of rain, this program will be moved to the Foster Room, 1138 Meyer Hall.)

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) — The Davis Shakespeare Ensemble, in association with Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum, presents this "irreverent, fast-paced romp" through the Bard’s 37 plays. Directed by Gia Battista. 8 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, May 12-15 and 19-22, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 12 and 19, gazebo. Tickets: $12 adults, $8 students, $5 children 12 and under. Reservations: davis.shakespeare@gmail.com. More information is available online or by e-mail, davis.shakespeare@gmail.com.

Plant sale — End-of-Season Clearance, featuring reduced prices on exceptional plants, with experienced gardeners on hand to help you choose the best plants for your garden design and conditions. Ten percent discount for members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum; new members receive a free plant. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 14, Arboretum Teaching Nursery.

Storytime Through the Seasons: Los Colores de la Primavera/The Colors of Spring — Traditional stories, games, crafts and more. All ages are welcome for this program that combines Latin American culture with the colors of spring. Presented by the Arboretum Ambassadors, environmental leadership interns. 2-4 p.m. Sunday, May 15, Wyatt Deck.

Buscando los Raices — A Spanish-language tour of California native plants, with topics to include California ecology and traditional uses if native plants. Presented by the Arboretum Ambassadors, environmental leadership interns. All ages are welcome for this tour — to be conducted entirely in Spanish. 11 a.m. Saturday, May 21, Wyatt Deck.

All programs are open to the public, and all are free except the art workshop and the Shakespeare production. More information: (530) 752-4880 or arboretum.ucdavis.edu (for directions, click on “Plan Your Visit”).

AT STEBBINS COLD CANYON

NATURE OUTINGS

• Wildflowers: The Colors of Early Spring — Each month new wildflowers bloom for a brief period and then fade away until the following year. Barbara Byrne leads this walk on the Homestead Trail at the height of the blooming season. 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 23.

• Nocturnal Happenings — What happens when night falls in Stebbins Cold Canyon? On this walk, you will rely on all of your senses to experience the vibrant world of the reserve after sunset. Stories, stargazing and experiential activities along the way to help the participants appreciate the “dark side” of Stebbins. For adults and children 8 and up. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30.

• Birding 101 — This hike is designed to help you make heads or tail feathers of the complex avian world. Birders of all levels. Bring binoculars, bird guides and sunscreen. 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, May 1.

• Stargazing: Tour of the Night Sky — Bryn Bishop returns to leads two evening programs, focusing on constellations, planets and deep sky objects. In addition, she will share stories on the mythology of the night sky. A 1¼-mile hike, slightly uphill, to a meadow. Wear appropriate clothing for evening; binoculars are optional. 8-11 p.m. Saturday, May 7, and 8:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4.

• By the Banks of Putah Creek — Tom and Ginny Cahill lead this hike on their property, northeast of Stebbins Cold Canyon, allowing people to explore a remote section of Putah Creek. A one-mile hike in, with an optional, longer hike paralleling the creek or climbing to a ridge. This outing is a perfect opportunity to sit by the creek, have lunch and listen to some stories about the area. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 14.

• Dance: It’s Only Natural! — A celebration of rhythm and movement and nature. 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, May 15.

• Photography and Nature: Take Only Photos, Leave Only Footprints — Daniel Ng leads this tour, helping people with their film or a digital cameras (participants provide their own). 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, May 22.

• Loop Trail: Sunrise Hike — Hike the Loop Trail as the sun cimbs into the sky before the shortest night of the year. Five miles of ups and downs, with a 1,200-foot elevation gain. Many steps are interspersed with breathtaking views. Participants are advised to wear sturdy shoes, and to bring sunscreen, snack and at least a liter of water. 5-10 a.m. Saturday, June 18. (An earlier posting gave the wrong date for this adventure.)

NATURE’S THEATRE: Nature Play for Kids

Nature’s Theatre invites children to become part of the story and learn from Mother Nature, Professor Planthead and Tiny and Whiny, to name a few.

Each outing is an opportunity to play outside and learn a little bit more about the secrets of nature. All programs run from 10 a.m. to noon.

• World of the Small (ages 5-10) — Saturday, April 23

• Starwalker and the Planets (ages 6-10) — Saturday, April 30

• Consumasaurus, the Dragon (ages 6-10) — Saturday, May 7

• Nature Heroes (ages 5-10) — Saturday, May 14

• Glug, Glug and the Water Boss (water play for kids, ages 5-10) — Sunday, June 5

SIGN-UPS

All activities are open to the public. Optional fees: $5 per person or $10 per family. Activities fill up fast; reservations are required. E-mail Jeff Falyn, jfalyn@ucdavis.edu, with your name, address, event date, and phone number and-or e-mail address, and indicate whether you need directions. More information, including the complete schedule.