Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Decorating Your Home And Garden For Fall

Many years ago, when summer was over I yanked all of my drooping flowers out of their containers and put out some Indian corn, cornstalks and pumpkins on my front porch.  The pumpkins were always eaten and tipped over, the corn was chewed to the bone and it looked pretty sad by Halloween.


The Reggie dog was quite perplexed by this huge arachnid on the railing going upstairs.  I am surprised that he did not go after it!  This one has no eyes, but did you know that some spiders do not have any eyes?

Halloween used to be my favorite holiday because even though I was working full time with two children I had the neighborhood party.  We rented movies from the library and I made food ahead of time for the freezer so that everything would be ready for the big day.


These are great, I don't want to light them because then they will be gone.  I believe I got these at Target a few years ago.



Faux is becoming much more real.  These are faux gourds, achilliea, pears, pumpkins and little birds.  The pumpkins, gourds and pears are from Pottery Barn all arranged in an antique etched container.

Decorations now are over the top, lights, mummies, ghosts ringing the trees,talking vampires and witches the lawn ornaments and the celebration goes on for over a month.  I have given up on the real pumpkins, so I use the type you buy at a craft store, sprayed with marine varnish, and some are ceramic.  The pumpkins and gourds look so real now, there is no reason not to decorate containers and window boxes.  Long picks can also be purchased to stick through the decorations and anchor in the soil.


Indoors I can use real pumpkins and gourds mixed with faux flowers.

Reggie hasn't found these spiders yet!




I went to my daughter-in-law and son's home and found these people on their front porch, drinking Starbucks!

Believe it or not, I found this spooky person at the front door!

How would you like to find this in your garden?

Don't be concerned about using faux with real.  My situation is squirrels, so my quest each year is to find pumpkins that look either very decorative or real.  Each year it has become easier to find gourds and pumpkins that mimic the real thing.  Another faux acceptable is grasses because the real thing will collapse and wilt in your containers.



Halloween is still a favorite (not the Trick-Or-Treating as my dog goes crazy) with a family party and optional costumes.

Halloween is the second biggest decorating holiday in the United States next to Christmas!

24 comments:

Becca's Dirt said...

Everything looks very goulish and just witchy. Is that a word. Trick or treat!

Lisa ~Suburban Retreat~ said...

LOVE all your decorating for Autumn! I'm your newest follower!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Becca, I think witchy is a great word for this time of year!

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thank Lisa and welcome. I love the ceiling you did, wow what a job working overhead. I had used this paper with a liner over paneling in another home and when painted you would never know that it was paneling underneath. Great look.

Eileen

joey said...

A fun post, Eileen. I'm with you ... your faux looks fine ... I know how critters like to nibble and gnaw on the real. Seems like everyone goes wild for Halloween!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Joeyo, I seem to enjoy decorating for Halloween almost more than for Christmas. Although, I do go a little more over the top for the Christmas holiday.

Eileen

Anonymous said...

You are very ready for Halloween and almost got me with that very firts image! and that last one...why do we have such convulsions when seeing spiders...not scared, just...yucky...! Great decorations!
Unfortunately Halloween is not at all big here in France, sometimes is passes without me even knowing it is Halloween... were it not for the american bloggers...
Ronelle

Gatsbys Gardens said...

I know Ronelle, those spiders and pumpkins are really spooky. I think in other parts of the world it is now only celebrated as a religious holiday, All Hollow's Eve and then All Saints Day on November 1.

It began about 2,000 years ago in Ireland, England and France as a celebration for the harvest, much later becoming a religious celebration. Supposedly, the irish immigrants began the practice of Halloween in the U.S..

Bonnie said...

I love, love, love Halloween. Not as much now that my kids are grown, but I still love it. Just wish I got more trick-or-treaters. We get about 100. My son used to have a haunted yard at our house every year. We ran it every weekend in October right through Halloween night. Lots of fun, lots of work!!

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

I love two little pillows!
It's tough for me to get into Halloween mood, since everything is green and summery here!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Bonnie, my kids are grown too bringing back their own children to my house to celebrate Halloween. It never ends!

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Tatyana, you are not going to believe this but it is going to be 81 degrees on the weekend, not really Halloween weather!

Eileen

Shirley said...

You have several great ideas for Halloween decorating! I may just take one or two for my own decorating. Thank you for sharing!

Bonnie said...

Send some of that heat a little east, ok? It's supposed to be sunny here, and that's good news, but only in the low 60's. I plan to haul all my decorations out and get to work on them this Saturday.

garden girl said...

What fun Eileen!

MRBROWNTHUMB said...

This is really neat. I particularly liked the skeleton couple on the porch. They look like they've been there so long, I hope you're charging them rent.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks for visiting Shirley, I've got a few more things to put outside before Halloween.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Bonnie, I can't believe I am going to have to turn on my air again for the weekend!

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Garden Girl, I think it is the most fun holiday!

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi MBT, that couple belongs to my son. I don't have room for them at my house!

Eileen

Anonymous said...

Dear Eileen, I must confess that I do not like Hallowe'en and always try to escape from London at that time since there is nothing like this in Budapest. I can see that you enter into it all with gusto and can well imagine your riotous family parties. Do you all like spiders?!!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Edith,

I knew you wouldn't be a fan of alll the hoopla that goes along with Halloween. I am a fan of all of it but the trick-or-treating and the non-stop ringing of our bell and the barking of the dog.

As a child, I went trick-or-treating three days in a row, see how things change when you are on the other side of the doorbell!

Were you anywhere near that terrible chemical flood in Hungary?

Eileen

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Eileen girl I just saw this post now .. I am so out of the loop it is awful ! .. I love all of these decorations and I am hoping that when our new Lowes store is operating for next year, that there will be much more variety of decorations for Halloween to choose from .. this is great and I have a huge silly smile on my face looking at all the great pictures here !
Reggie is being VERY good isn't he? LOL
Joy

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Joy, I was thinking of you when I did this post. I took the big spider down for a day when I went out - was afraid Reggie would nibble on him. Well, he has left it alone, too big to drag around as a toy.

Eileen