April 14, 1997

Arboretum's annual plant sale set for Saturday

By Mari N. Jensen

The UCSC Arboretum and the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society will host their annual Spring Plant Sales on Saturday, April 19. The sales will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Arboretum's eucalyptus grove, at the intersection of High Street and Western Drive. The events are free and open to the public.

Visitors can choose from more than 200 kinds of drought-resistant and colorful plants from California, Australia, and South Africa, many of which attract hummingbirds. The Arboretum, as part of its program to introduce new plants to the horticultural community, will offer Swan River Pea (Brachysema celsianum), a silver-leaved Australian shrub with dark red flowers that grows well under eucalyptus trees. The sale will also feature several species of Banksia and Protea, plants prized for their exotic flowers and foliage.

Grey, president of the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, will lead a tour of the Arboretum's Native Plant garden at noon. The tour meets at Norrie's gift shop in the Arboretum.

A special sale will be held for members of the Arboretum Associates from 10 to 11 a.m. People wishing to join the Arboretum Associates may purchase memberships at the festival.

The Arboretum gift shop, Norrie's, will be open throughout the day, selling locally made wreaths of dried flowers, hummingbird T-shirts, books, and other gifts for the garden lover.

For more information about the plant sales, call the UCSC Arboretum at (408) 427-2998.

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