Arboretum and Public Garden

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden serves the regional community as a living museum connecting people with the environment and the work of our campus.

Over 100 acres of Arboretum demonstration gardens and plant collections, plus other gardens and landscapes throughout campus, provide an exemplary place of beauty, learning, and environmental stewardship. These public spaces are open to visitors for free every day of the year. The gardens and landscapes inspire and educate visitors about the natural world and demonstrate best practices for sustainable horticulture in the Central Valley and beyond.

The Arboretum and Public Garden’s major campus-wide initiative, called the UC Davis GATEways Project (Gardens, Arts & the Environment), connects UC Davis student learning with public engagement through visitor programs in the diverse outdoor environments.

A donation to the Arboretum and Public Garden becomes a lasting gift to the entire community. Some of the Arboretum's gardens have been endowed by donors who wished to have an impact on the university and the community into the future. Many other gardens and programs are only possible because of generous annual support – from supporters of the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, community partners and donors like you. Annual fund donations help to create beautiful gardens, build important scientific plant collections, promote sustainable gardening practices, enhance wildlife habitat, develop the next generation of environmental leaders, and share the work of UC Davis scientists with visitors through public education programs.