The first plant sale of the fall is reason enough to celebrate. But this year's season opener will be extra special, in that it marks the start of a yearlong celebration of the arboretum's 75th anniversary.

A sale preview tour is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, and the sale itself for Saturday, Sept. 24. The Plant Faire, with music and children's activities, will start with a members-only sale from 9 to 11 a.m. (for members of Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and the Davis Botanical Society); the gates will be open to everyone from 11 a.m. until closing time, 1 p.m. Admission is free.

Nonmembers can get in early, if they like, by purchasing memberships (or by renewing) at the gate.

Members, including those who join at the gate, receive a 10 percent discount; and every new member will receive a free plant.

The organizers said the sale will feature hundreds of varieties of plants for Central Valley gardens, including Arboretum All-Stars, and house plants and exotics from the university's Botanical Conservatory — and, if you need help making your choices, staff and volunteers will be available to provide expert advice based on the conditions in your garden.

The free preview the week before offers people a chance to get a head start on the fall planting season, by learning about plants that have been shown to work well in Central Valley gardens.

According to the arboretum, the tour will feature uncommon garden plants from California and other parts of the world — and those plants will be available for sale at the Plant Faire.

The preview tour and the Plant Faire will take place at the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on Garrod Drive south of La Rue Road (the nursery is just beyond the Unitrans bus yard and across from the School of Veterinary Medicine). Free parking in Lot 55 across from the nursery.

More at the arboretum

Native American Contemplative Garden — A guided tour of the garden that honors the Patwin people who lived at the arboretum site and their descendants who keep the Patwin traditions. 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center.

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

Abundance and Water Conservation — 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, gazebo. About how to create an abundant garden while conserving water, as exemplified by the arboretum's Storer Garden, featuring drought-tolerant flowering shrubs and perennials, with an emphasis on sustainable, low-maintenance gardening.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream — Presented by the Davis Shakespeare Ensemble in partnership with the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum. 8 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 15-Oct. 2, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18 and 25, and Oct. 2, gazebo. $12 general admission, $8 students, $5 for ages 12 and under. To reserve tickets or for more information, send an e-mail to davis.shakespeare@gmail.com or call (530) 802-0998.

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