Kathy’s Gardening Guide: Decorating for Fall

Colors are the smiles of nature.”

— Leigh Hunt

As fall arrives, we see seasonal decorations popping up throughout our neighborhoods.

Fall is the season where harvest celebrates the hard work put in during the summer months and the prosperity that results from this diligence. We use natural flowers and fruits to add festive accents around our homes and landscapes. These decorations can be arranged in centerpieces, incorporated in planters or sporadically added throughout your yard to accentuate fall colors, pumpkins or other seasonal decorations.

Popular decorations during fall are corn, gourds, hay bales, mums and pumpkins.

Although they may seem to be just a part of the season, each of these items is representative of the festivities we celebrate during fall:

• Corn symbolizes bounty through the many kernels on each cob and the fields that seem never-ending as they stretch toward the horizon.
• Gourds are believed to bring blessings, encourage good health and protect against evil.
• Hay bales remind us of the harvest and bring out fall feelings in our seasonal displays.
• Mums (chrysanthemums) are especially symbolic during this time of year! They represent optimism, health and joy. Mums come in bright yellow, orange and red. Yellow flowers symbolize intellect and wealth; orange flowers highlight energy, creativity and warmth; and red flowers represent success.
• Pumpkins are the earth’s gold! Native Americans valued pumpkins because they could be stored long into winter. With their bulging shapes, they are a symbol for bounty, luck and success.

Many flowers feature seasonal colors and look wonderful in gardens and containers. Popular fall annuals include celosia, dianthus, dusty miller, marigolds, pansies, petunias, snapdragons, supertunias and violas. If you prefer perennials, look for crotons, firespike, geraniums, mums, pentas and salvia.

Stop by the nursery to gather your fall flowers, hay bales and more. Happy decorating!

Flower of the Week: Chrysanthemum (“Mum”)

Please email Kathy at kcg.pvr@gmail.com for any questions or gardening tips you would like to see in the future. For more information and ideas, visit Kathy’s Creative Gardens & Nursery, 196 N. Roscoe Blvd. The phone number is 904-655-7373.