"Autumn Adventures"—running from Sept. 8  through Nov. 4—celebrates the serene beauty of fall with its golden sunlight, brisk air, crackling leaves and flaming palette. Read about Fall Colors at the Arb. The centerpiece event will be "Pumpkin Palooza," an eye-popping display of fall's favorite plants-varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds, to be exact-in the Oswald Visitor Center Great Hall. And making a return engagement - for two days this year - will be the popular, family-friendly Ghouls & Goblins in the Gardens event on Oct. 27 & 28. 

Arboretum AppleHouse. Sept. 1- early November. Purchase apples from a changing inventory of more than 50 varieties throughout the season - from longtime favorites to recent U of Minnesota introductions. Located 1.5 miles west of the Arboretum on State Highway 5.  Call ahead for varieties available: 952-443-1409. Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through early November.   

September Weekend Family Fun: Seed Savers. Become a seed saver and find out how to harvest, store and replant heirloom seeds.  Discover how gardens are pollinated and why it is important to save garden seeds.  Create art from seeds to take home with you. Saturdays & Sundays in September; noon-4 p.m. Learning Center. Free with gate admission.

Scarecrows in the Garden Exhibit. Sept. 8-Nov. 4, Arboretum grounds.  Scarecrows, those silly and scary life-sized stick figures, have graced farm fields since time immemorial.  Stuffed with straw, dressed in outsized raggedy clothes and sporting loopy grins, they are compelling characters! Check out these handmade scarecrows created by the public, including design professionals. The winners of the juried exhibition: first place is Woodland Wonder, second place is Miss Julia and third place is Demeter.

Traditional Teas. Wednesdays, Sept. 12, and Oct. 10, 2:30-4 p.m. Snyder Building. Traditional formal tea with sweets & savories. $23/$26. Reserve at 612-626-3951 or online.

Music in the Gardens. Thursday, Sept. 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wild Cathedral will bring their "synthpop" to the terraces behind the Snyder Building, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Synthpop veers between party anthems, surreal parables and rock & roll tunes. The concert is free with gate admission and open to the public. Attendees are invited to bring a picnic.

Ornamental Grass Collection Open Houses. Tuesday, Sept. 18, 3-6 p.m. and Wednesday, October 10, 1-6 p.m. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of this spectacular collection.

Apple Tastings at Oswald Visitor Center. Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 22-23, 29-30,  and Oct. 6-7 & 13-14; 1 to 3 p.m. Sample University of Minnesota research apples and visit with Master Gardeners. Maybe you'll help discover the next Honeycrisp!

Arboretum Outdoors with Hoigaard's - Nordic Walking. Thursday, Sept. 20, 1 & 6 p.m. Oswald Visitor Center. Learn the newest fitness craze - Nordic walking!  Hoigaard's provides instructor and walking poles for your use. Free with admission.

'Pumpkin Palooza' Exhibit. Sept. 29-Nov. 4, Great Hall, Oswald Visitor Center.  This dazzling display of cucurbits (aka, pumpkins, gourds and squash) reflects the endless variety fall cultivars harvested today.  Large and small, orange, blue or white, there's a pumpkin for everyone!  Arboretum gardeners have cultivated over 100 varieties - common and exotic - and hundreds will be displayed.  PIC        

Japanese Moon Viewing. Thursday, Sept. 27, 6-8 p.m., Ornamental Grass Collection. An evening of moon viewing, fellowship and haiku.  Free with Arboretum admission.

Annual Auxiliary Harvest Sale & Quilt Raffle. Saturday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Snyder Building Auditorium & Lobby.  Don't miss this popular sale of botanic arrangements & more, all created by Auxiliary members. Proceeds benefit the Arboretum. Auxiliary's 2012 quilt raffle is Sept. 29 at 2 p.m.  

Minnesota Herb Society Sale.  Saturday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 30, noon-5 p.m.  Herbal crafts created by the Minnesota Herb Society.  

Library Used Book Sale. Friday-Sunday, Oct. 5-7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Snyder Auditorium. Don't miss this popular sale of gently used books of all types - from horticultural texts to novels and more.  Sponsored by Friends of Andersen Horticultural Library at the MN Landscape Arboretum.  Proceeds benefit the library.

October Weekend Family Fun:  Squish Squash.  Sink your hands inside a pumpkin, squash or gourd and dissect one. Save seeds to plant your own pumpkin patch. Sample pumpkin soup and more.  Noon- 4 p.m. Saturday & Sunday in October. Marion Andrus Learning Center. Free with gate admission.

Ghouls & Goblins in the Gardens, Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 27-28, noon-4 p.m.  Arboretum grounds.  A spook-friendly Halloween adventure for the whole family.  Dress in a fun costume!  Walk the Trick or Treat Trail through the wildflower garden - chockful of surprises!  Enjoy face-painting, concessions, pumpkin sales and more.  Admission: $5 for 13 & older ($10 after Oct. 26), and $3 for ages 3-12.  Register online. Gate fee applies.  Ghouls & Goblins in the Gardens is presented by RBC Wealth Management.

Ar-BOO-retum Halloween Event. Wednesday, Oct. 31, All day, Oswald Visitor Center. Free admission for anyone wearing a costume.  Dress up the kids and "trick or treat" for apples in the Gift Store and cookies in the Restaurant.  Storytime for the young and young-at-heart and "spooky" tunes.