PEACE, LOVE & PEONIES

Attention! The time to start preparing for fall celebrations is now. Soon enough your calendar will reveal you coulda, woulda, shoulda started sooner as we’re moments away from the holiday product pushing from the big box retail world. Here, Ewa Wiggins, the horticulturalist at Stokley’s Midtown Express, shares her favorite fall décor ideas inspired by nature’s harvest that are sure to not only look fabulous, you’re guaranteed better memories than what you’ll get out of a box.

Hello!

With fall finally upon us, Garden Express in midtown Mobile is bursting with the season’s natural bounty harvested from our local farm. Sure to ignite the interior designer in us all, it’s the perfect time to get started on a décor plan for both your inside and outside areas. From pumpkins and hay bales to cornstalks and cabbages, we have a huge assortment of options.

For those that are crafty, consider the endless possibilities you can achieve with paint and pumpkins. I suggest trying a stencil, a paint pen, or even stickers to customize your décor. Try small pumpkins with names of dinner guests in place of name cards on your table. Or, try family names in various sizes in an entry hall. The possibilities are endless. White pumpkins are a special addition and can be dressed up with bright ribbons and candle holders or other natural elements like vines, moss, and more atop large platters for mobility. If you have children, they’ll be delighted with pumpkins covered in spiders! And this couldn’t be easier in terms of crafting.

If you don’t have time for paint, try stacking pumpkins for more impact on your table, open shelves, sideboard tables, and outdoor areas. A striking alternative, this is as simple as it gets. When it comes to the porch area, look for pumpkins and gourds in various shapes, sizes and colors. Fill planters with big full cabbages already in a container, just add water as needed. If it’s a large planter, fill with cabbages, pumpkins, branches, and gourds for maximum impact. Bales of hay will allow you raise some of your pumpkins off the ground if you have a spacious porch and will add height and scale.

If you’re a gardener, consider using pumpkins as planters. That’s right, pumpkins are the perfect vehicle for succulents and other hardy small plants. We have rows and rows of succulents that the children flock to and with their small hands, they can perfectly plant these small treasures. Bigger pumpkins can accommodate mums and I love the contrast of the pink and yellow hues.

Whether you’re entertaining a small army of friends and family or just a few, the point is to embrace all that fall has to offer—even if only you enjoy them. The best part is that it can be as easy or detailed as you’d like. For me, watching friends and family dart around the nursery making plans for this craft and that plant is my greatest joy. With a noticeable change in the air, the excitement for upcoming celebrations and memory-making is what we are here to help with.

Peace, Love & Peonies,

- Ewa

Garden Express

StokleyGardenExpress.com