Were it not for a summer internship at the Saratoga Horticultural Research Foundation during his undergraduate studies, Warren Roberts might be reading musical scores instead of selecting plants to grow in the UC Davis Arboretum.

"It changed the direction of my life," the longtime arboretum superintendent said.

Now, thanks to a $1.1 million gift to UC Davis, the foundation will have the ability to change many lives in the future.

A group of nearly 50 people gathered in the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center on Dec. 11 to mark a major transition for the foundation, whose board of trustees decided to transform more than a million dollars in assets into a new horticultural endowment at UC Davis.

"On behalf of the college, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your generosity in making this gift," said Neal Van Alfen, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "This gift will establish the Saratoga Horticultural Research Endowment, which will support research and educational programs that foster the introduction of new and improved plant materials for California gardens and landscapes."