Pumpkins, gourds and straw bales combine with fall flowers to create a beautiful seasonal statement at this front walkway.
Find inspiration in fall to decorate the porch or patio.
Fall used to be when gardeners cleaned up their gardens, packed away their trowels and lawn furniture and started dreaming of far-away spring. Now, it's become the season to get creative with plants, pots and props, and to deck out porches and patios for the season.
Denis Flanagan, director of public relations for Landscape Ontario, says fall outdoor decor has become a popular trend in Canada and an important part of the garden centre industry. Gardeners should think of plants they can use in displays, then transplant into the garden later on and, of course, they should consider popular decor items such as gourds and pumpkins.
"There is still time to plant hydrangeas, rudbeckias and asters," Mr. Flanagan advises. He's a fan of ornamental grasses because they're large and pretty. "You can use these in pots for display and towards the end of October when the ground is still warm, you can put them permanently in the garden."
He says Canada's growing fascination with fall outdoor decor likely originated from south of the border, as we tend to follow U.S. trends. "[Americans] traditionally do their Thanksgiving a lot bigger than we do. Or it might be a little bit influenced from Europe, as 99 per cent of our bulbs come from the Netherlands and they are very big on fall decorating."
Another growing passtime, creating backyard vegetable gardens, can also be combined with fall decorating creativity.
"There's an enormous link between gardening, horticulture and food," says Mr. Flanagan. "There's the whole trend towards growing our own food. In some cases, vegetables, such as lettuce, cabbage and squash, are quite pretty in fall." Gardeners can pick the vegetables, use them for display, then possibly eat them.
As he points out, Canada is a country with some of the most spectacular fall colours in the world and decorating is a way to embrace this. Here are some suggestions from Landscape Ontario for decorating your porch or patio. Feel free to combine these elements to create a unique look.
Fall asters: These offer a natural look and are available in shades of pink, purple, blue and white, injecting your front porch with a pop of colour.
Ornamental grasses with dramatic seed heads: There are many different varieties and these will enhance your floral displays and add interest, texture and drama. Plant them in the garden in late October.
Flowering kale and ornamental peppers: The two-toned or multi-coloured leaves on the flowering kale provide a unique look and usually intensify after a light fall frost. Ornamental peppers spice up your porch with a hot, new look and act as a great alternative to traditional gourds.
Bales of hay or straw and corn stocks: These harvest staples help complete your vignette by offering a warm fall feeling. Wooden crates and harvest baskets also make great porch decor accessories.
This content was produced by The Globe and Mail's advertising department. The Globe's editorial department was not involved in its creation.