Thanksgiving arrangements — GARDEN TO TABLE

Arranging flowers should be creative and fun, let your mind explore what the October garden has to offer

Small gatherings and staying home for Thanksgiving means there might be a little extra time for holiday decor.

I’m not talking about going overboard, or spending a fortune on extra decorations that need to be stored for the rest of the year, I’m just thinking of ways to bring a little of the garden indoors to celebrate the season.

Let me start by saying that I am not, nor do I aspire to be, a floral designer. To me, arranging flowers should be creative and fun — let your mind explore what the October garden has to offer.

You don’t have to go out and spend a fortune for any of these projects. Scavenge around the backyard, let the kids help you choose a few of the elements to include. If you really don’t have a single branch or flower to cut, treat yourself to a few sprays of chrysanthemums from the store and promise to plant a few fall blooming flowers or shrubs with great autumn colour next year. A few pumpkins and funky gourds add to the fun and are worth a trip to the market.

I went out into the garden with two containers in mind. First, an orange ceramic cube with the words Autumn Harvest on the front. The label decided the theme, so fruit, vegetables and herbs would be part of the design. The second vessel is a clear glass cube with rounded edges; think casual Mason jar. This vase would take a back seat to brilliant flowers. Recycled jars, lined baskets and even hollowed out pumpkins lined with a plastic container all make interesting containers. Use your imagination.

Cut long stems if possible (you can shorten them later) and the freshest flowers possible; strip the leaves from the flower stalks before adding them to the bucket. Choose sprays of foliage that are at their peak of colour.

The cold autumn nights not only bring out the colourful leaves, but the colours of late-flowering annuals such as zinnias, asters and dahlias seem to intensify as well. It is interesting to note that the white Opus asters featured in a September column continue to bloom and have matured to violet-pink in the cooler weather.

Arrange the cut stems loosely in a bucket of water before actually starting your design. This step not only conditions the stems, but it gives you a chance to see how the colours and shapes work together. It’s a sort of dry run for your final design.

When unsure about which flowers to group together, choose one colour family and work around that choice. Simplicity is the key. Have a very happy Thanksgiving.

The cold autumn nights not only bring out the colourful leaves, but the colours of late-flowering annuals such as zinnias, asters and dahlias seem to intensify as well.

Shades of hot pink, violet and white work together in this simple arrangement. All of the stems were laid out on a work table and then cut to the same length. The only exception was the lavender, which was cut slightly longer to give a little extra height to the arrangement. Hot pink California Giant Florist Zinnias and Opus asters and dahlias, Eveline (white with a violet centre) and Sweet Love (pink with a white heart), were arranged loosely in the container. Bundles of Brazilian verbena were tucked in around the arrangement, and finally, a bundle of lavender was popped into the middle of the design to give it a little height.

To carry the Thanksgiving theme outdoors to the front entrance, a concrete planter filled with an overgrown chartreuse sweet potato vine and deep purple tradescantia was given an overhaul. The centre of the container was cut back to make room for a Jamaican pumpkin and colourful gourds. Stems of seasonal foliage in shades of wine red ( I used border sedum, hydrangea, peony foliage and Amur maple leaves) were tucked in securely around the pumpkin. A whimsical scarecrow, perched behind the pumpkin, is ready to welcome visitors.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY THERESA FORTE FOR TORSTAR Buckets of materials are organized and ready to be arranged. In front: California florist zinnias; daisies; asters, Brazilian verbena, lavender, dahlias. In the back: woody branches maples, sweet gum, hydrangea, chokeberry and sprays of ornamental grasses.

Labelled Autumn Harvest, the vase suggests including fruit and vegetables in the arrangement. Baby ‘Black Magic’ eggplant, a cluster of yellow pear tomatoes, head of dill, and sprays of chokeberry (great red foliage and black fruit) were included. A cluster of green grape tomatoes didn’t work in the actual arrangement, but look interesting on the table. It’s best to keep the design simple and uncluttered.

Sprays of Amur maple and Japanese maple are arranged in an orange ceramic container to form a base for this simple arrangement. The leaves have yellow, orange and purple tones. Pair them with flowers that pick up these colours.

Four orange California Florist Giant Zinnias are enough to make a powerful statement. The tiny, star-like florets of dill poke up through the zinnias, adding a little sparkle.