Enjoying Fall's Pleasing Palette

My sweet Mom continues to fight her way back up after being knocked down again by her latest chemotherapy round. This time it wasn't pulmonary edema but a dangerously low white blood count and some other complications that landed her back in the hospital. We are blessed that this hospital experience has been a good one - all the nurses, techs, and other aides have welcomed her back to the oncology floor with great compassion and gentle care. I've been staying with her and, since she is bed-ridden at this time, have been describing to her the view out the window. Not too many of the local trees have turned yet. We haven't had the first frost here in the Sunny South. But flowers in both commercial and residential flower beds and decorations are saying "Fall is finally here!" The colors are every glorious shade of purple, aubergine, russet, red, orange, and gold.

Mums are usually the predominant bloom of choice, but mixes of Coleus, Sedum, late blooming Sunflowers, and the unfortunately named Joe Pye Weed are also heavily used.










Pumpkins will start to appear on the scene in the next few weeks. It is always fun to see what creative ways people choose to display them. When my son was little we always carved a Jack-O-Lantern (one or several!) but as he grew up I decided to forgo the mess and hassle of pumpkin carving for the easier, long-lasting whole pumpkins. The only problem was that they usually ended up being TOO long-lasting, and were still around at Christmas-time! So, in recent years I've gone to the popular faux pumpkins found in many sizes and shapes at craft stores. They look so real and I just pull them out of storage, use them in a different vignette through the Fall, then return them to storage for another year. They can even be carved like real pumpkins with tealights used for illumination - haven't tried that yet, but hope to one of these years.


Another popular decorating method is to simply gather several branches of autumn leaves, berries, nuts, seedpods, or just unusually shaped branches, and arrange them in a favorite container. It doesn't take a fancy vase - a large mason jar will do. The foliage is the main attraction. A glycerin treatment can be used to preserve the items if longevity is a concern. Or, you can take the faux route and use the very real-looking stems available at craft stores. I actually found some of the most life-like ones at a dollar store! Going with artificial is sometimes the better idea when branches are being used in larger decorations, such as boughs across a mantel or in a wreath. It also allows use of plant specimens not naturally grown in a particular area of the country. Bittersweet is one of my favorites, but I've yet to find it growing in my Southern locale.


Using plants and flowers, pumpkins and foliage in imaginative ways is part of the fun - I try to do something different each year. Who wants to see the same thing over and over, no matter how pretty? Regardless of what materials are used in Fall decorating, or if a crunch in time or money means just enjoying the work of other "Autumnal Artists" don't let the season go by without looking for these brilliant colors that will warm the crisp air.