Monday, September 23, 2019

Fall Landscaping and Decorating Ideas


Autumn seems to be a favorite season for most New Englanders, and it’s no wonder why! The changing colors, harvest décor, warm days and cool nights exude a sense of magic and whimsy that are simply infectious. New England is known for many of its autumn traditions, such as apple picking, pumpkin picking, hay rides, warm cider and fresh cider doughnuts. It’s also a wonderful time of the year to get creative with landscaping and outdoor decorations!




Fall Flowers: There are so many beautiful flowers to pick from, but our favorite is the hardy mum! Mums come in an array of colors and are well-suited to tolerate early frosts which might arise during the month of October. They also come in many sizes, from mini-mums to giants. Black-eyed Susans, Asters and Sunflowers are wonderful accents to include, though are not as likely to tolerate an early frost. Faux versions are a great way to achieve your aesthetic without worries about a premature freeze.

Pumpkins and Gourds: Autumn is harvest time, and pumpkins and gourds are in abundance! With so many shapes and colors available, the only limit is your imagination. Use varying sizes and colors to create depth. Place them around walkways, doorways, paths, gardens, steps, flower beds, and more. Carve spooky faces into them later in October for Halloween, or leave them whole to last into November!

Hay bales and cornstalks: Farms are packing up for the winter, bundling straw and harvesting cornstalks. These have become a staple of New England autumn décor, and can be picked up for a small price from your local farm or nursery. Hay bales in particular are great staging areas for other decorations like pumpkins, gourds, and flowers. Tie a cornstalk up to your front porch or light pole with some colorful orange ribbon!


Outdoor Lighting: Good lighting can make or break your display, but you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. String lights can subtly light your landscaping, or you can use warm white spotlights to highlight specific points around your yard. Lanterns are also a beautiful way to spruce up a hay bale display, or hang from a tree to create ghost lights. Feeling the Halloween bug? Many local retailers offer fun Halloween lighting and accessories, from funky spotlights to giant lawn decorations. There are many solar-powered options, if running wires is an issue.


Front Door: Nothing is so warm and inviting as a colorful autumn entryway! Use wreaths, garlands, lighting, cornstalks, ribbon, pumpkins and more to dress up your front door. You can even purchase a fun, rustic farmhouse sign from your local craft store, or paint your own. If you have a porch, your design could sprawl from your front door to a cascade of jack-o-lanterns and autumn leaves.


Feeling Spooky: Turn your front yard into a cemetery with carved headstones, sepulchers and statues. You can purchase them and many other spooky decorations at your local Halloween shop, or if you’re feeling ambitious, make your own using carved styrofoam. Fake spider webs on shrubs or porches are an instant way to lend an eerie air to your property. Scarecrows can be a fun family project, or you can purchase them at your local craft store. We really love some of Martha Stewart’s displays from over the years.




Feeling Thrifty: If you want a rustic look, look into purchasing antique farm equipment or whiskey barrels. These can look amazing with mums and pumpkins buffeting their edges. Old wheel barrels have been used by many over the years to great effect. We’ve even seen hay balers and antique plows as centerpieces. Whiskey barrels can be planted straight-up, or laid on their sides with flowers “spilling out.” The bonus is any of these items can be redecorated each season!






No matter how complex you decide to get with your designs this fall, make sure you have fun and spend some time enjoying the season! From all of us here at Pro-Turf, Happy Fall and Happy Haunting!

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