Landscapes in Color
at Cal Poly’s Leaning Pine Arboretum

By Mary Bernard, Master Gardener

Central Coast residents in search of colorful ideas for landscaping with drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plants need look no further than the Leaning Pine Arboretum at Cal Poly. The Arboretum is a unique oasis nestled against the hills at the north end of the campus. The landscapes are developed and maintained by students under the direction of Horticulture faculty member Tom Eltzroth. It has been the Environmental Horticulture Science Department’s best kept secret for years. Word is spreading fast, however, and people are recognizing what a wonderful treasure it is.

The Arboretum is a five-acre demonstration garden dedicated to plants from Mediterranean climates around the world. Plants of these different regions can be viewed within distinct landscaped zones. One garden focuses on plants of the Mediterranean basin and features an impressive collection of palm trees. The California Garden offers a stunning display of native plants. A newly developed expansion features many colorful South African plants. There are also gardens featuring plants from Australia. A Chilean garden is in the development stage.

Visitors to the Arboretum will have a truly enjoyable experience, particularly during the springtime when many of the blooms are at their peak. A number of the flowering plants seen here make water-wise yet colorful alternatives to thirstier, more conventional garden plants. Plants are labeled so that visitors can make notes and take home ideas for their own landscapes.

Arboretum Director Tom Eltzroth is enthusiastic about recommending some of his favorites. Scaevola, a shrubby perennial from Australia with bluish-purple flowers, has a long blooming season and is useful in rock gardens or as a ground cover. Another flowering shrub, Verbena lilacea ‘de la mina’, is a California native from the Channel Islands that blooms its heart out practically non-stop in the Arboretum. Several different varieties of Heuchera that are seen here are California natives that prefer shade and are particularly good under native oaks. There are numerous varieties of Arctostaphylos, Ceanothus, Cistus, Helianthemum, Phlomis, and Euphorbia, in addition to many types of lavender and ornamental grasses to delight the gardening enthusiast.

Sidebar:

The Arboretum is offering tours to the public on April 29^th at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm. It coincides with their Annual Spring Plant Sale, which runs from 8 am to 3 pm. Some of the landscape plants featured in the Arboretum will be available at the plant sale. Proceeds from the sale support development and advancement of the Leaning Pine Arboretum.

As part of the day’s events, noted designer Anthony Farinah of Farinah’s Oakdale Floral will present two floral design workshops. Geared toward amateur designers, Farinah’s workshops are scheduled for 10 am and 12:30 pm. Admission and parking is free for these events.

The Leaning Pine Arboretum is located at Cal Poly’s Environmental Horticultural Science unit, behind the greenhouses. Enter the campus at Santa Rosa (Highway 1) and Highland Avenue. Turn left at the third stop sign onto Via Carta. Proceed uphill to the parking lot below the horticulture greenhouses.

University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteers can provide additional gardening information upon request .Call the San Luis Obispo office at 781-5939 on Mondays and Thursdays from 1 to 5 PM. You may also call the Paso Robles office at 237-3100 on Wednesdays from 9 AM to 12 PM. The San Luis Obispo Master Gardeners website is at http://groups.ucanr.org/slomg/. Questions can be e-mailed to: mgsanluisobispo@ucdavis.edu.