Fall Decorating from the Garden

It's time for fall decorating and what better place to look for inspiration than the garden you have grown all summer long. Decorating your yard for autumn doesn't have to be difficult or expensive if you use what you have on hand in your own garden or natural items that are available from local producers. Decorate your yard with garden items to create a fresh and natural display with an Earthy appeal.

Pumpkins
Pumpkins are of course a fall staple for decorative displays. Grow a plant of your own to enjoy the fun of creating your own decorations and watching them grow throughout the summer or choose a local pumpkin patch to shop at. To decorate, look for variety in shape, size, texture and color. Cinderella pumpkins are deep red-orange and flatter in shape while Lumina or Little Boo pumpkins are white in color. Cushaw pumpkins have unusual shapes and some varieties come with stripes. Generally, pumpkins are planted in June in order to be ready for October festivities.

Ornamental Gourds
Gourds can be grown then dried and preserved to use for decoration or practical use. Such uses include birdhouses, storage and crafts. Gourds come in varieties that are hard-skinned and soft-skinned and grow throughout the summer in preparation for fall harvest.

Corn
A rustling shock of dried corn stalks are perfect additions to any fall decorative display. Tie several stalks together then use them to decorate around a fence, a tree, a porch post or railing or other area around your home.

Decorative "Indian Corn" can also be grown or bought and used to add color to a display. Corn cobs can be used indoors or out and dried corn shucks or husks make great craft materials. Use corn shucks to create a corn husk doll or other decoration for your kitchen or living room.

Mums
Add color, scent and pizzazz with gorgeous fall mums. Choose a variety of colors or opt for a single color to tie in all of your decorations. Grow mums on your own or buy mums from local retailers or farmers.

Straw
Straw bales are practical yet pretty at the same time -- well maybe not pretty, but at least pleasing in a fall display. Straw has a number of uses, from animal bedding to decoration. Stack a few bales around then place pumpkins, gourds, mums, corn and corn stalks with the bales to create a pretty yet simple display that welcomes guests to your yard. Straw is usually available at farm stores or from local farmers. If you plan to have a fall bonfire, grab a few bales to arrange as seating around the fire. Be sure to place the bales a safe distance away from the fire.