Fall is a nice time to visit Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and explore our 270 acres of gardens, water features and woodland trails. There are still many plants blooming and others showing their fruits and fall colors. Looking for a family activity or group activity? Join us for a Cider Sunday, Weekend Garden Activities, and plan on coming to this year’s new family event, The Great Pumpkin Hunt. We also welcome school groups for field trips.

Children’s events and activities

Storytime with volunteer Pat Jeremiah is a year-round favorite for young children at the Gardens. Join Pat each Monday (except holidays) at 10 a.m. in the Bosarge Family Education Center. Storytime is included with Gardens admission until the end of October and no reservations are required.

Children’s Garden Weekend Activities are happening on Saturdays and Sundays, through Oct. 26 with all the favorite activities, including Storytime, Garden Puppet Theater, Chicken Feeding and Nature Investigations.

The Gardens offers three types of experiences for field trips/school groups, through Oct. 31. Choose the option that best suits your group: Formal Guided Tour, Informal Guided Tour or Self Guided Tour. School groups receive a special admission rate, and visits must be booked in advance through the Education Department. Call Barbara Fellenstein, Education Program Assistant at 207-633-4333 ext. 150.

We’re having two more Cider Sundays in the Children’s Garden this fall: Oct. 5 and 12.  Join in for a hands-on lesson in the basics of making this fresh apple drink and enjoy the fruits of your labors! Cider pressing is included in the regular Gardens admission on Cider Sundays, and reservations are not necessary.

“The Great Pumpkin Hunt” is a new and free family event to be held on Oct. 25 (rain date Oct. 26) at the Great Lawn and Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden. 

Other events and happenings

Join mycologist Greg Marley on Oct. 2 for an informative class, “Common Mushrooms of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.” Reservations are required.

In a second class, “Selecting Native Woody Plants for the Maine Garden,” staff horticulturist Justin Nichols will introduce students to native trees, shrubs, and vines to use in various horticultural settings based on their habitat preferences in nature. Justin will take the class on short forays in the Gardens and locally. October 16-17. Reservations are required.

There are still a few spaces open for the final, gourmet 5-course Kitchen Garden Café Dinner of the season on Oct. 7 by Chef Justin Smith of Fuel, a restaurant in Lewiston. Dinners begin at 6 p.m, prices include wine and gratuities. Reservations are required.

October and November are good times to visit the Gardens Gift Shop for unique gift ideas. We will be offering Gift Shop Sale Days each weekend during November with special sale tables on Saturday and Sunday during the first three weekends of November. The Sale Days will end with a final Holiday Sale on Nov. 22 when everything in the Gift Shop will be 20 percent off, to coincide with Boothbay Harbor PJ Day.

A full calendar of exhibits and events may be found on www.mainegardens.org.