The arboretum turns literary next week, when Master of Arts students in creative writing read from their theses, and actors play out the words of another writer — Shakespeare, to be specific.

The arboretum joins with the Creative Writing Program in presenting the Creative Writing Farewell Reading, featuring M.A. graduates-to-be. 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, Wyatt Deck.

The Davis Shakespeare Ensemble presents As You Like It, the company's fourth annual summer show, in association with Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum. Rob Salas directs this telling of one of the Bard's most celebrated comedies, in a production that ventures not into the forest of Arden but into the hills of Appalachia (as played by the arboretum!). The ensemble draws on the region's culture and music for a new take on an old classic, complete with laughs and romance and Richard Chowenhill's music. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 13-30, gazebo. Tickets: online, by email, boxoffice@shakespearedavis.com; or by telephone, (530) 802-0998.

MORE IN THE ARBORETUM

• Folk Music Jam Sessions — Pull out your fiddles, guitars, mandolins, penny whistles, pipes, flutes, squeezeboxes you name it! and join your fellow musicians during the lunch hour for a little bluegrass, old-time, blues, Celtic, klezmer and other world music. All skill levels welcome. Listeners, too! Noon-1 p.m. Friday, June 7 and 21, Wyatt Deck.

• Walk with Warren — Warren is Warren Roberts, arboretum superintendent emeritus, a master plantsman and punsman! Join him for a walk in the west end gardens. Noon Wednesday, June 12, gazebo.

All programs are open to the public, and all are free except As You Like It. More information: (530) 752-4880 or arboretum.ucdavis.edu (for directions, click on Plan Your Visit). Keep up with arboretum news by reading The Leaflet e-newsletter. To start receiving it, send an email to arboretum@ucdavis.edu, with newsletter in the subject line.

Follow Dateline UC Davis on Twitter.