Fall means back to school for gardeners, too. A bevy of educational opportunities await us as we begin to think about winding down the gardening year. Some, such as the upcoming Sunset Empire Orchid Show, are as close as Seaside. Others, such as the pear and early apple tasting at Raintree Nursery in Morton, Wash., this Saturday, mean it’s time to plan a road trip. Here are some fall educational events that should be of interest to you, listed with the topics and dates in bold.

If fruit growing is your thing, you might want to drive the two hours or so Northeast Saturday, Sept. 21, to Morton, Wash., and attend Raintree Nursery’s fruit tasting and processing workshop. The whole day’s activities cost nothing – the processing class is from noon to 2 p.m. This is a great chance to taste different pears and early apples that might be appropriate for our growing region. For directions and more information, call (360) 496-6400.

If fall gardening is your cup of tea, people who know how to put plants together surely include Maurice Horn, a co-owner of Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose. He’s teaching a free workshop Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. titled “Autumn Combinations.” Many plants come into their own as the season ripens. Strategic use of these plants creates a marriage of color and texture that is the backbone of the romantic autumn garden.

Perhaps these new combinations can help you take your garden to the next level. That’s the intent of the Horticulture Magazine symposium, “Sense and Sensuality”, held at Portland State University Saturday, Oct. 19. The day-long session features speakers Patrick Chasse, Holly Shimizu, Jack Staub and Linda Beutler on topics ranging from fragrance to cutting borders. For details, call (877) 436-7764.

Likewise, if you have a thing for native plants,you should take the Berry Botanic Garden’s “Gardening with Native Plants Series.” The Portland garden features a marvelous teaching staff, who have come up with a series of native plant workshops. The individual classes cost $10 to $15, while the four-part series is $30 to $40. The classes are held Fridays in October. The first session, “Gardening with Our Favorite Native Plants,” is an introduction to the Berry’s – and nature’s – best.

The second gathering is a native plant garden field trip. For the third meeting, learn to propagate native plants. On the final meeting, find out how to design your garden with native plants. To register for a Berry Botanic Garden class, call (503) 636-4112, Ext. 22.

Sometimes a garden tour can be instructive. The Portland hills garden of John and the late Jane Platt opens for a rare tour, to benefit the Berry Botanic Garden on Sunday, Oct. 20. This internationally acclaimed garden is featured in Rosemary Verey’s “The American Woman’s Garden” as a collector’s garden. With its views and vistas, private niches and spectacular plant compositions, it’s a garden designer’s dream as well.

This tour often sells out quickly, so as a member benefit, BBG Members can register now. Non-member registration begins Sept. 23. The fee is $25 and the tour runs from 2 to 4 p.m. The tour limit is 30 people.

Two Seaside events feature specialty plants – lavender and orchids. If you like lavender, don’t miss the Sou’Wester Garden Club’s Wednesday, Sept. 25 gathering. George and Debbie Throop, the owners of the Shooting Star Lavender Farm in Clatskanie, tell you “Everything You Wanted to Know About Lavender.” The talk is at 10 a.m. at the Bob Chisholm Community Center in Seaside.

Meanwhile, on Oct. 5 and 6, the Sunset Empire Orchid Society holds its annual show at the Broadway School, 1120 Broadway, Seaside. The show and sale areas are open from 1 to 5 p.m Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Commercial orchid growers from the Northwest will exhibit and sell plants at the show and orchid societies from both Washington and Oregon will have exhibits. There will be a wide variety of plants on display and for sale, many of which can be grown in the home, either under grow lights or in natural light. Barbara Inman of Valley Orchids in Tacoma will do a potting demonstration each day from 1 to 3 p.m. and, for a small fee, will repot your plant. Admission is $1, which includes a raffle ticket for an orchid plant. Refreshments are free.

Another opportunity for botanical appreciation, mushroom identification, is offered through Clatsop Community College starting Oct. 1. “Mushroom Identification” will cover dichotomous keys and field practice. Students will learn the nutritional and medicinal values of mushrooms, mushroom toxins and mushroom preparation tips. Call CCC at (503) 325-0910, for more information.

Perhaps crafting with plants thrills you. The college also offers “Flower Arranging at Christmas.” The session will be held Dec. 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and covers wreaths, ornaments and arrangements.

Especially for children, and families, on Oct. 26 the Clatsop County Master Gardeners hold a Harvest Festival at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds. The festivities start at 9 a.m. and include pumpkin contests, crafts, food and fun.

It’s never too late to take up the science of gardening. Berry Botanic Garden comes through again with a brown-bag series devoted to “Botany for Gardeners.” The classes cost $8 to $10 each or $24 to $30 for members. They start on Tuesday, Sept. 24, with “Roots and Shoots” and run Tuesdays in October. Other class titles include “Keeping it Under Control”, “Passion in the Garden” and “Seed Science.”

Closer to home, the Clatsop County Extension Service holds a three-day Wildlife Stewards training, Nov. 13 through 15, to teach local educators and community members how to take an area of land and turn it into a wildlife habitat. A team of trainers from around the state will teach participants about plants, birds, reptiles and how to begin and end a project. Classroom curriculum is included. The fee is $55, which includes registration, lunches and handouts. The time is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and the classes are held at Camp Rilea. For more information, call (503) 325-8573.

Finally, Clatsop Community College offers gardening courses this fall for the ENCORE – Exploring New Concepts of Retirement Education – program. Four classes will be offered on different gardening topics, to be announced, to students ages 50 and above. The cost is $50. For more information, call 338-2506.

Cathy Peterson belongs to the Clatsop County Master Gardener Association. “In the Garden” runs weekly in Coast Weekend. Please send comments and gardening news to “In the Garden,” The Daily Astorian, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103 or online to peterson@pacifier.com