ART IN THE ARBORETUM

The arboretum’s GATEways Project presents a pair of art installations. GATE stands for Gardens, Arts and the Environment, in which UC Davis students share their academic and creative work with campus visitors.

• Crested Oak — Made from the trunk, branches, bark and twigs of a 200-year-old valley oak that had died in the arboretum and was felled last winter. John Gainey created Crested Oak as his senior project in landscape architecture, and he subsequently graduated. Look for his work along the waterway near the west end of the arboretum.

• From Landfill to Landscape — Art student Rebecca Portney gathered scrap metal from the UC Davis landfill, then welded the metal into giant flowers for a garden at the top of the lawn overlooking Lake Spafford, east of Mrak Hall. Follow the mulched path to discover these quirky gems; they will be on display through Aug. 19.

Photos and more information.

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, Aug. 19, and Sept. 2, 16 and 30, Wyatt Deck.

Native American Contemplative Garden — Honoring the Patwin people who lived at the arboretum site and the descendents who keep the Patwin traditions. 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center.

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