Fall is fantastic at the Gardens. In addition to admiring drifts of flowers in autumnal hues and tall, tawny grasses, visitors find the cooler weather perfect for a stroll through gardens or along the waterfront. There are also plenty of programs and exhibits for kids, families and adults. Here’s an overview. For details, visit www.mainegardens.org; or call 207-633-4333, ext. 101; or stop by the Gardens, off Barters Island Road in Boothbay.

“Little Diggers” and Cider Sundays return

“Little Diggers,” fun-filled gardening sessions for ages 3-5, will continue into the fall on Thursdays, Sept. 19 and October 3 and 17, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Registration is a must for these popular programs full of gardening activities.

Cider Sundays begin on September 22 and continue through October 13, 1-3 p.m. each Sunday. Weekend activities in the Children’s Garden until October 13 include Storytime at 10 a.m., Garden Puppet Theater at 11 a.m., and nature investigations at 2 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. Kids are also invited to help feed the chickens at 12:30 p.m.

Location, location, location

On Friday, Sept. 13, Therapeutic Horticulture Coordinator Irene Brady Barber will present “Planting the Right Plants in the Right Place,” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Bosarge Family Education Center. Participants will learn how to make the right plant choices for the various conditions in their home landscape. While this class is part of the Gardening Later in Life series, it is open to all adult gardeners at any level of expertise with any size garden. Prices are $30 for members and $37 for nonmembers.

Coming soon: Ghouls in the garden

Registrations are now open for “Harrowing Harvest Folk” on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., a workshop for adults who want to make fall decorations, but with a ghoulish twist. Horticulturist Diane Walden, who fashions spectacular garlands and presents holiday-greens workshops each year, will bring out her darker side as she demonstrates how to make delightfully creepy beings out of flowers, branches, and foliage. All materials are included in the fees of $35 for members and $42 for non-members.

Getting around the gardens … now

Tours of the gardens, including free guided walks with docents on Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., continue through October 12. Volunteer-run courtesy shuttles to several areas will continue until Columbus Day, October 14.

Autumn art in the garden

The sculpture show, “Living Wood” will continue through September 22. At 4:15 on Thursday, Sept. 12, exhibit curator June LaCombe will offer a free walking tour of the show.

“Color Study: Macro,” the Photography Club exhibit of 10 by 10-inch close-ups in a spectrum of color, will be on view in the Education Center lobby until October 8.

The Gardens summer-long 20th anniversary celebration of Lunaform studio, with lush plantings in one-of-a-kind pots, has been extended to mid-September. Visitors may use their smartphones to take the self-guided, interactive tour and learn about the fine craftsmanship of these works of art.

Panels full of photos and intriguing facts interpret the Gardens’ Trees, Timbers and Traditions theme for 2013. “Branching Out,” in the Children’s Garden Story Barn until mid-October, highlights trees through the inspired art of students from all five of the Boothbay peninsula’s schools.