Create Fabulous Fall Arrangements from the Garden

Now is the perfect time to create colorful fall arrangements to take you from Halloween through Thanksgiving. And the best part…you can get a great look while spending little or no money if you scavenge in your garden for natural elements that emphasize shape, color, texture and a bit of whimsy. Use your imagination and see what you can create!

Take your garden pruners and a bucket and stroll through your garden looking for late-blooming flowers, colorful foliage, dried flowers, evergreen branches, berries, pine cones, seed pods and small branches with interesting shapes. Last year I needed several centerpieces to dress tables set for Thanksgiving. I placed a small serving platter in the center of each table and added a wet foam oasis to each platter. Then I went outside to find natural elements to fit into the wet foam.  I cut some holly with berries, some of the multi-colored foliage of Nandina ‘Firepower’ and camellia sprays with new buds. I scouted around for pine cones, acorns and sweet gum balls. It took no time at all to create some colorful centerpieces for the holiday meal.

Those beautiful hydrangea blooms from May are now dried and make wonderful additions to an arrangement, as do the stalks of ornamental grasses. Also consider corkscrew or twisted branches, magnolia pods, pecans, rose hips and moss. Add fruits or vegetables for that down-home touch. Southerners have been decorating with fruit and vegetables since colonial times. To add the vibrant yellow and orange colors of fall, purchase gourds and pumpkins for a display that will last several weeks. Other fruits and veggies to consider are kale, apples, oranges, lemons, limes, pears and turnips. Don’t forget to add some herbs to lift the spirits with scent.

Once you have your natural elements gathered, do another scavenger hunt to find interesting containers. (Check out my recent blog on making a pumpkin container). Old baskets, crates, mason jars and galvanized metal tubs make great containers for the fall.

So, take a stroll through your garden this week and see what treasures you can find. Send me your photos of your fall arrangements and I’ll post them on my blog. Email me at helanderb@comcast.net.