The Best Autumn Flowers for Seasonal Home Decor

As we say goodbye to summer, decorating with flowers and foliage can bring an elevated touch to the coziness of the incoming season. Whether you’re a home gardener sourcing from your own yard or looking to purchase flowers for a bouquet, Shannon Allen, co-owner of Bloom Hill Farm in Uniontown, shares how to incorporate beautiful fall color into the home.

Dahlias: Allen recommends starting a bouquet arrangement with jewel-toned and moody-colored dahlias, such as burgundy, deep red, burnt orange, plum and terracotta, as focal flowers in arrangements. Some of her favorite varieties include Diva, Cornel Bronze and Cornel Red. “Dahlias are the supreme best fall flower,” she says. “They’re gorgeous and come in every shape, size and color.”

Celosias (above) & Amaranth: From there, add other seasonal flowers for texture. Celosia, including Brain Cockscomb and spiked varieties, and copper-colored or red amaranth can complement dahlias. She recommends keeping arrangements simple, letting the dahlias and textures stand out. “Simple is better,” she says. “Beautiful fall focals with extra texture is what fall is all about.”

Hydrangeas: Hydrangeas can be placed in a vase as a stand-alone display or incorporated into a larger seasonal arrangement. They are beginning to antique — a natural late-summer aging process in which the blooms transition from their summer vibrancy into more muted tones. “An antiqued hydrangea can pack a huge punch in the home,” Allen says.

Foliage: Foliage such as Smokebush (above) and Ninebark can add another layer to the arrangement. Silver Tip Wheatgrass, Frosted Explosion Grass or Broom Corn also elevate the piece with texture and movement. “To me, those flowers just absolutely scream fall,” Allen says. 

Dried Flowers: For home gardeners, creating a beautiful fall arrangement does not necessarily mean purchasing every flower. Allen encourages people to source from their own yards for materials that can add texture and interest, creating statement pieces from branches, grasses and dried flowers.

Dried flowers have a good vase life and will last a long time, she says. Cut them fresh and let them naturally dry in the vase, then use them to make everlasting wreaths.

“[Fall] It’s about what we can pull from our yards that’s really textural and fun for fall decor,” she says.

 
Additional Advice:

• Flowers can be displayed in more than a traditional vase. For a fun, family-friendly activity, add flowers to pumpkins by scooping it out, putting a cup with water inside and arranging the flowers. 

• For those interested in growing flowers, dahlias grow from tubers — a potato-like vessel — and can be planted in the spring. Bloom Hill Farm offers dahlia tubers for presale around Thanksgiving. Other fall flowers, like amaranth, celosias and grasses can be planted mid-summer for fall harvest. Plant them in a full-sun area with well-drained soil. “You can really plant not that many flowers and harvest a ton from a pretty small space,” she says. 

• Once a flower arrangement is made, a few simple steps can extend its vase life. Snip the bottom of the stems and add fresh water daily. “What shortens flower vase life is when the bottom of their stems get clogged with bacteria,” she says. “Flower food acts as an antibacterial for your water.”

Pick your own blooms, including dahlias and other flower varieties, at Bloom Hill Farm’s Dahlia Fest Sept. 13 and Fall Festival Oct 4. For more information, visit bloomhillfarm.com. 

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