Decorating a Fall Front Porch

Create a warm welcome as cooler weather approaches by decorating your front porch for Fall.

I know, I know – its August and the weather is more-than-balmy, but for my Southern U.S. readers back-to-school is days away. You can’t help but think of Fall when the school books and backpacks come out, so I thought I’d get a jump-start (and show you how to save some money) by decorating your Fall front porch now.

Greenhouses plant Chrysanthemums on staggered dates to ‘force’ them to bloom at different times. Your favourite nursery probably has a field of mums in varying sizes and stages of bloom, but because they aren’t to their “full and blooming size” you can pick them up for a steal!

This mum, in a 9″ pot, should bloom in the next couple of weeks for an early Fall showing – and I picked it up for $6! Think – this is the same mum I would have paid $25 in a month’s time because it would be larger and in-bloom. It will be as large and beautiful on my front porch (except I get to save the moolah).

I picked up 4 mums the other day and spent a whopping $28 (taxes in). They are still green and a bit smaller but at this time of year I can bring in other – summer – flowering plants to give my Fall front porch some colour.

My sweet neighbours came over the other night and helped me stage the Fall porch with scarecrows and pinecones to ring in the season. Before the first Fall frost (say that five times quickly) I can continue to enjoy my summer begonias and Vern-the-fern to fill out the vignette.

I found these gorgeous purple pumpkins at HomeSense the other day (yes, they have them in orange too) and couldn’t resist adding something a ‘bit different’ to the Fall decor.

A “bit different” – like me!

I brought out my navy blue DIY wheelbarrow from last year to bring in some height and interest…

which I think pairs beautifully with the purple-ish jewel tones of the pumpkin and scarecrows.

The dollar store is already stocking fabric leaves so I added two strands to bring in some warm colours to my Fall porch.

I have two mums in my bushel basket right now, but over the next month these will double in size and I’ll space them out into two different arrangements.

My Fall front porch looks good from the outside and inside! I really need a screen door so I can leave this open and admire the view. If it weren’t a bazillion degrees outside I’d be tempted to get a hot cider and watch the world go by.

Even if you’re not ready to get your Fall-on just yet, it really is a great time to stock up on the mums you’re going to buy anyways. You’ll save a ton of money and with a bit of sunshine and water you’ll have giant blooms in no time.