Demonstration Garden

A New California Garden

A Garden for Today: Sustainable, Functional, Beautiful

The UC Butte County Master Gardeners Demonstration Gardens are located on the grounds of the historic Patrick Ranch Museum property, 10381 Midway, just south of Chico, California. These gardens are used for public education, including classes and workshops emphasizing sustainable gardening practices, integrated pest management and backyard food production.

In 2013 the overall garden design was completed and the first gardens were planted by volunteer Master Gardeners. The plan was bold, converting a barren one-acre plot into a connected series of themed gardens highlighting the possibilities available to gardeners in Butte County. About half of the original plan is completed and the Master Gardeners continue to alter and improve the project as they go forward with a particular awareness of the changing extremes in California Central Valley weather.

Our Gardens

A walk around the demonstration gardens will lead you on a pathway through the following specialized gardens.

All-Stars Garden—displays hardy plants that perform particularly well in Butte County.

Arbors—illustrate the practical and beautiful uses of structure in the garden.

Berm Garden—designed for people seeking guidance for gardening in areas with poor soil or drainage issues.

Backyard Orchard—eight different species of fruit trees illustrate the importance of tree maintenance, including experimentation in pruning.

California Native Plant—highlights the incredible diversity and beauty of native plants.

Edible Garden—The Edible Garden showcases a wide variety of edible plants and demonstrates what an average homeowner could accomplish in a backyard setting.

Espalier Fruit Trees—demonstrates the art of selectively pruning and training plants to a desired shape.

Herb Garden—offers suggestions for a way to grow herbs right outside the kitchen door.

Heritage Almond Orchard—Varieties represent the California almond industry’s beginnings prior to 1900 and include those planted by early agricultural pioneers.

Mediterranean Garden—celebrates plants grown in Mediterranean-type climates characterized by moist, cool winters and hot, dry summers.

Succulent Garden—focuses on very low maintenance plants.

Summer Dry Garden—Plants chosen for this garden need little to no supplemental water once established and are often resistant to pests.

Under the Oaks—Plants here were selected for their tolerance for shade in summer and sun in winter, and their ability to withstand the low water conditions in summer required by oaks. 

Wildlife Habitat—presents examples of native plants that wildlife depend on.

Click on a thumbnail to view a slide show.

All-Star Garden

Backyard Orchard

Berm Garden

California Native Garden

Edible Garden

Espalier Garden

Mediterranean garden

Herb Garden

Succulent Garden

Summer Dry Garden

Wildlife Garden

Our Generous Community

The local community has been generous in their donations of merchandise, professional skills, money and volunteer time to help establish these beautiful and educational gardens. For example, in 2014 Butte College students in the Heavy Equipment Operator program built a storage shed; and in May 2017 CSU, Chico junior and senior students in the Associated General Contractors Student Chapter built an outdoor classroom and shade trellis. Engineering supervision was provided by volunteers from Slater & Sons. Master Gardeners have completed the other buildings in the gardens, including two recently constructed potting sheds and two arbors.

The Far West Heritage Association generously offered the Master Gardeners the use of this property for the purpose of providing gardening support and education to the public. When you visit the gardens also be sure to visit the beautiful historic Patrick Ranch and tour Glenwood, the museum’s grand 1877 farmhouse.

A Special Thank You to Our Donors

Thank you for your generosity and support. Your gift has played an important role in the development of the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden.

A big thank you to the Support Group of Butte County UCCE for their significant and continued financial support throughout the years.

Financial

• Butte County Farm and 4-H Support Group
• Butte County Master Gardeners
• California Water Company
• OLLI Grant/Stipend

Labor/Expertise

• Agri Electric
• Associated General Contractors Student Chapter, Chico State
• Bob’s Concrete Pumping
• Butte College Construction Program
• Butte Landscaping
• Rackley Company, Inc. Steel Erectors
• Slater and Sons Construction

Materials

• Chico Sprinkler
• Durham Worm Farm
• Hodges Nursery
• Knife River Construction
• Miller Glass
• North State Aggregate
• Payless Building Supply
• Sutherland Landscape Center

Discount Prices

• Chico Sprinkler
• Eve’s Garden Design
• Hodges Nursery
• Normac Irrigation Supply
• Payless Building Supply
• Sutherland Landscape Center

Thank you to Patrick Ranch for their ongoing gift of the use of land for the Demonstration Garden.