Harvest Centerpiece With Pumpkins

7 Materials
$15
30 Minutes
Easy

Create an easy and casual centerpiece for fall using flowers from the garden or grocery store, fall leaves and pumpkins.

My galvanized bucket provided the inspiration for an easy and casual autumn arrangement on the porch, and was harvested from T.J. Maxx last year.

Since my bucket is on the large side, I placed a smaller bucket inside it, so I wouldn’t need so much floral material. Packing paper is sandwiched between the walls of the buckets to keep the inner bucket in place.

The paper also provides stability for bamboo skewers topped with tiger striped pumpkins. The ends of skewers rest on the paper in the bottom of the bucket, keeping them from shifting, while the edge of the bucket supports the weight of the pumpkins.

This is my supervisor, Lola. Pumpkins stems are one of her favorite things to chew when I'm not looking :)

I added the last of the Limelight hydrangeas from the garden to the arrangement. The hydrangea blooms are in various stages of color, from a newer flush of white blooms to the older ones with the burnished hues of fall.


If you don't have any Limelight hydrangeas growing in your garden, read my public service announcement: Plant a Limelight Hydrangea, or Five!

Fall is my favorite season and has been late to arrive in North Carolina. Our leaves are just starting to turn with our cooler temperatures the past two weeks and I’m beyond ready and loving every minute of it! I cut some branches from the maple tree for some height and seasonal fall color to add my harvest arrangement.


I’ve read numerous flower arranging tips to smash or crush the ends of the woody stems on flowers or branches with a hammer, to help them absorb water. Crushing the stems actually damages the plant cells, which in turn causes bacteria to grow, preventing the stems from absorbing water. Instead, I peeled the outer layer of the wood of the branch with my vegetable peeler. Removing 3 – 4 inches of the outer wood helps the stems ‘drink’ and stay hydrated and fresh longer.

Burgundy Football Mums from the grocery store add a pop of color, along with some blue hydrangea blooms I picked up, to pair with a throw on the bench. The harvest arrangement is framed with a bittersweet vine wreath from the farmers’ market.


This is a quick and easy way to add a little bit fall around your home! Keep your mix of foliage and flowers loose and easy for a casual arrangement. You could use any kind of vase, bucket or even a wine chiller. Use a grapevine wreath if you prefer to add some texture and place for other elements, like pumpkins or gourds to build around.

Gracie and Lola invite you to 'come', 'sit' and 'stay' for visit and see more photos and all the details of our fall porch, here.


Happy Harvest!

Suggested materials:
  • Two buckets, one smaller and one larger   (had, T.J. Maxx)
  • Hydrangeas   (garden)
  • Football mums   (grocery store)
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Mary @ Home is Where the Boat Is
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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