The Waterwise Garden is devoted to displaying drought-tolerant landscape plants that do well in Davis.  Many beautiful plants native to California and the other Mediterranean climate areas of the world are well-adapted to surviving our long, dry summers with little supplemental watering. The garden features a stylized dry streambed that captures rainwater and allows it to percolate into the soil rather than running off. A raised bed with succulents shows off the unique colors and textures of these sculptural drought-tolerant plants.

Several UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars have been planted here, including crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum), cape balsam (Bulbine frutescens), and bush germander (Teucrium fruticans 'Azureum').