There’s something about fall that I just can’t get enough of: the colors, the scents, the flavors of the harvest. Don’t you agree? Here in Seattle, the leaves seem more vibrant than ever this year, and I couldn’t resist bringing a few branches closer to home, where I could really enjoy them.
I created this arrangement using my simple three-step method, and it now sits in the urn in my courtyard, where I’m hoping it will last for weeks and weeks. The best part is that the method works at any scale. Use it for a petite tabletop bouquet or a generous display by the front door, indoors or out.
To set things up, I filled a large cylinder vase with fresh, cold water and placed it inside the urn.
Now, let’s get to the arrangement. Step one is the foliage. I usually call this the greenery, but at this point in the season my blueberry and hydrangea branches read more red than green. These branches create the framework for everything that follows.
Mr. Splendid came home with some hawthorn branches laden with red berries and draped in lichen, so I tucked them in at this stage to give the arrangement some balance.
Step two is the flowers. I usually use several different kinds, but for this arrangement I chose stems of alstroemeria, or Peruvian lilies, that I picked up at the market. I love them because they are so long-lasting, they grow on gorgeous tall stems, and they come in a range of interesting shades with striking markings. For fall, I went with a warm coral streaked with gold, which picks up the reds of the blueberry leaves without competing with them. Their soft, delicate petals are also a lovely contrast to the woody branches, glossy berries, and shaggy lichen. They bring a little lightness to all that autumn texture.
The third step in my foolproof process is to add something unexpected, whimsical, or eye-catching. Since I wanted to feature the harvest of the season, I had several things to choose from. The hawthorn berries from step one already gave the arrangement a pop of color, so I built on them with branches of winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) that I picked up at the market, tucked throughout the bouquet. They give the piece fabulous height and dots of golden orange from the berries.
Next, a few apples. Mr. Splendid brought some down from the orchard on Orcas Island, and I love their unusual coloring and quirky shapes. You won’t find these at your average grocery store!
I pierced each one with a bamboo skewer so I could tuck them easily into the autumn scene.
He also brought back some persimmons. This one came on a lovely long branch, so no skewer was needed.
I simply slid the branch right in, front and center, so these glowing orange globes could steal the show.
Then there was this little branch from our fig tree, which we’ve been doing our best to coax along. Its leaves were a bit withered, but ’tis the season of withering leaves, no?
But the cutting wasn’t tall enough to make much of an impact, so I wired it to a bamboo stake to give it a little lift.
And voilà! The fig is in the mix, looking tall, dark, and handsome.
There was one more lonely little persimmon that I just knew could bring something to the party…
…so I wired it to the hawthorn branch with the beautiful lichen, the one reaching out to the right.
And here it is, the finished arrangement, with a big thank-you to Mr. Splendid for his foraging! Isn’t it amazing how all these separate elements come together to create such a welcoming display?
Just remember my three simple steps: start with foliage for structure, add flowers for softness and color, then finish with something unexpected. Look around your own garden, or your local market, and see what the season has to offer. I’d love to see what you create!
