The arboretum takes a few literary turns this week and next: Readings by the Creative Writing Faculty on Oct. 4, and poetry with Spring Warran and Jill Stengel on Oct. 11.

Alumni Relations joins the arboretum in sponsoring a leisurely walk on Homecoming Saturday (Oct. 6), and Warren Roberts, arboretum superintendent emeritus, leads one of his Wednesday walks (Oct. 10).

Opening Night: Readings by the Creative Writing Faculty — With award-winning fiction writers and poets from the Creative Writing Program. This program features Joshua Clover, Greg Glazner, Pam Houston, Yiyun Li, Joe Wenderoth and Alan Williamson. Co-sponsored by the Department of English. 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, Wyatt Deck (rain location: 146 Environmental Horticulture).

Take a Walk on the West Side — Alumni Relations co-sponsors this leisurely walk on Homecoming Saturday, inviting alumni and anyone else to take in the arboretum's beautiful vistas and new projects. 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, meet at Nature's Gallery Court.

Walk With Warren — Warren Roberts, the arboretum's superintendent emeritus, leads a tour of the west end gardens. Noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, meet at the gazebo. Roberts' walks are scheduled during the noon hour on the second Wednesday of every month; meeting place varies.

Poetry in the Garden: Spring Warren and Jill Stengel — The Davis poets  share their unique works amid the beauty of the arboretum. Warren, who grew up on a Wyoming ranch, is the author of The Quarter-Acre Farm: How I Kept the Patio, Lost the Lawn and Fed My Family for a Year. Stengel brings an interest in a number of writing efforts, and actively participates in the poet-moms listserv community. Noon-1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, Wyatt Deck.

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, Oct. 12 and 26, and Nov. 9. Wyatt Deck.

Plant sale — The second and final sale of the fall season. The theme is Copy and Paste: Transferring Arboretum Style to Your Landscape, featuring all-purpose arboretum planting plans for you to "copy and paste" into your own home landscape. Garden experts will be available to give advice and answer questions, and the Plant Doctor Clinic will be up and running. Members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretrum receive 10 percent off their purchases. Join at the gate for your 10 percent member discount and al $10-off coupon. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, Arboretum Teaching Nursery.

Science Café: How Plants and Animals Use Chemicals for Survival and Defense — Chemistry professor Chris Jeffrey of the University of Nevada, Reno, speaks on chemical communications between plants and other organisms, or “chemical ecology.” Co-sponsored by Professor Jared Shaw and the UC Davis Department of Chemistry. 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, Wyatt Deck (rain location: 146 Environmental Horticulture).
 
Ornamental Grasses — A tour of the west end gardens to observe ornamental grasses in their finest season of the year, and to learn more about the design and habitat contributions that the grasses make to the perennial landscape. 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, meet at Nature’s Gallery Court.

Macbeth: The Radio Play — The Davis Shakespeare Ensemble presents the Bard's haunting tragedy as "an engrossing sonic experience." Inspired by the format of 1930s radio plays, featuring unique live sound effects and an original score by Richard Chowenhill. 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Oct. 24-27 and Oct. 31-Nov. 3, gazebo. This is the opening production in the ensemble's third season, exploring the theme of transformation through language and sound. Tickets are available for Macbeth: The Radio Play alone or for the entire season. Or inquire about tickets by phone, (530) 802-0998, or email, boxoffice@shakespearedavis.com. 

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

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