The nature area is located on the south end of Northstar Park, and was originally designed as a drought-tolerant demonstration garden by Susan Britton, the City of Davis Parks & Community Services, the State of California Habitat Conservation Fund, and many community volunteers. Special recognition for project management and design to Kerry Daane Loux, Landscape Architect, and Robert Cordrey, City of Davis Parks & Open Space.  Volunteer planting coordination organized by Sandy Dietrich, City of Davis Adopt A Park Coordinator.

The garden trail is a 1/3-mile urban trail accessible from the bike path system throughout the City of Davis. Mature trees along the trail are primarily introduced species such as Eucalyptus, Beefwood and Flowering Locust, but also include native oaks, redwoods and pines. These trees provide shade, screening and structure. Concern for water conservation is also relayed through the message "Send My Roots Rain," taken from a 19th century poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Visitors will find the words subtly shadowed on the ground under the four decorative metal arches along the trail that were designed and crafted by Barry Kuhlmann.

The low growing plants along the nature trail, planted by community volunteers, demonstrate drought-tolerant native and ornamental shrubs, grasses, and ground covers. Many of these plants attract songbirds, hummingbirds, butterflies or other beneficial insects. Look closely and you may even see they have interesting flowers, leaves, berries or seedpods to explore.