Happy October friends!  Nature is putting on an incredible show this month, especially around my town.  How about yours? 

Over the weekend, I did a little gardening, plus paid a visit to my local nursery to see what’s available to plant on the porch this autumn season. 

More than ever, I was inspired to bring more new perennials into our garden, even plant a new tree or two.

I just love the autumn colors on display in nature and secretly, I’m wanting some new plants in my yard so that this time of year I can bring more fresh clippings indoors to capture that fresh autumn feel. 

Favorite Plantings That Guarantee Autumn Color 

Japanese Maple.  This slow growing ornamental tree has the most delicate leaves; ours turns a deep red during the autumn months.  It grows well in containers too.  We’ve had one for almost ten years in a large pot where it receives partial sun and partial shade.  I love to scatter its leaves on our Thanksgiving table. 

Coleus.  Shades of green, burgundy, and even black in color, this ornamental perennial prefers partial shade and milder climates outdoors, and also makes a great houseplant.

Chrysanthemums.    Decorative as a daisy and cute as a button, these hardy favorites come in all autumn shades.  I’ll be choosing deep burgundy versions this year for my own planters. 

Sunflowers.  A bloom that crosses the bridge from summer to fall, these cheerful bright annuals bring the remnants of sunshine indoors, even as an autumn chill draws near. 

Ginkgo Biloba.  We’ve all heard of the pharmaceutical uses and the beneficial effects on memory derived from this tree, but how gorgeous are these intense yellow fan shaped leaves in autumn? 

Viburnum.  Definitely a favorite of mine, this perennial, which is sometimes called ‘Chinese Snowball’, grows white puffy hydrangea like blooms in spring, and provides gorgeous branches of colorful leaves in fall.  It’s been three weeks and only one change of water, and these stems still look fresh on my mantel. 

Hydrangea.  Here’s another spring to fall perennial that I adore.  These blooms arrive in pale green with a wisp of pink in spring, then weather to shades of raspberry and sage in autumn.  In years past, I’ve dried their stems, then sprinkled them with metallic spray paint for a gorgeous holiday arrangement. 

Grapevines.  Not just for your typical wine country regions, grapevines offer fruit in summer, changing leaves in fall, and branch clippings in winter for forming wreaths. 

Chinese Pistache.   This deciduous and drought tolerant tree is native to China (hence the name) and is often planted along streets in suburban areas for its hardiness and also its fall foliage.   

Oak.   There are several species of this tree, from red to white oak, that put on a glorious show in fall.  Which ones grow best where you are?

The Great Pumpkin.   The quintessential fall themed squash to plant in your garden.  With all the varieties available, if you have the foresight in summer to plant and the patience to let them roam across you yard, you’ll reap the rewards come October. 

Your local nursery or garden center will know just what perennials and trees grow well in your hardiness zone.   What’s the one plant or tree in your area or garden that gives you the best fall color? 

Image sources: Better Homes & Gardens; Martha Stewart; Southern Living; Country Living; Alaska In Pictures; Costco; Mooseys Country Gardens;

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I was determined this month to spend very little time, and absolutely no money, bringing the feel of fall into my home.

Why should I rush to the retail stores when the autumn leaves that were starting to turn on the branches in my own backyard provided all the inspiration and free fall decor I truly needed?

Over the summer, there was a lot of unnecessary *stuff* that had accumulated around our house.  I think this happens to most of us, regardless of our ‘clutter free’ intentions.  

The *stuff* in my home clung to baskets, and hid in dark corners where it thought it could hide. 

The *stuff* was wrong.

Several weeks ago, I purged my home of all things unnecessary in my continuing quest to live simply.   I find that when my home is clutter free, organized, and clean (a rare trifecta, to be frank), the pace around here flows a lot smoother.  Piles of meaningless *stuff* always overwhelms me.   Taking care of the *stuff* takes me away from taking care of my family, and that I cannot stand.  

As I scoured my home during the purge, I marveled at how much *stuff* seemed to find its way indoors.  In a merciless two day cleansing sweep, I brought all that was meaningless to the garage, keeping only what was beautiful, sentimental, or useful.

After a successful yard sale a few weekends ago, I’ll admit, I’ve been enjoying the bliss of a decluttered home.  A home filled only with the things that I love, or that I’ve collected over time.  The things that are nostalgic ~ the things that I’ve treasured for years.

That includes holiday decorations from years past.  I was determined this autumn season to not focus on spending.  To not run out and buy accessories that I simply didn’t need.  To appreciate, and use, what I already have. 

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Fall is one of those seasons that just happens for everyone at a certain moment.  For me, last year, it was just something in the air.  This year, it happened to be the turning of the calendar to my favorite month of September. 

I was playing in the park with my girl a few weeks ago, and noticed the beauty of the fallen leaves from a nearby magnolia tree.   It was instant inspiration!  Up close, I loved the shape and caramel color of the leaves so I thought they would make a perfect wreath for our front door.  

This year, my requirements for a fall wreath were this: cheap and easy !   Here’s this year’s front door wreath, and the best part is that it cost me less than $5 dollars. 

The outdoor rug I found last year at Pier One.

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This time of year, we look to our family traditions as a way of remembering our past, celebrating the present, and bringing our families closer together.  Today, I have some marvelous fall traditions, brought to you by some additional participants in Guest Blogger Week. 

Candi writes:

“First of all, let me say that I am filled with GRATITUDE to Kate for featuring my “Gratitude Tree” idea on her amazing site. I sometimes look at her ideas and wonder when the girl must sleep – how does she do it all ?   Today, I’d like to tell you about our “Gratitude Tree.” Our family started a tradition a few years ago.  We sit down together during November and write down some of the things we’re grateful for.  In the past, we would simply write our ideas down on leaves and put them on our kitchen wall.  This year, I took branches from outside, placed them into floral foam in a pot.  With some tags, I began a new family tradition. “

Candi’s Gratitude Tree

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