The temperatures have dropped. A cold front is on its way. The wind is blowing the leaves off the trees. It’s officially fall in my town.
With that in mind, I’m so glad the old saying about rebuking unnecessary ornamentation specifically names the lily, and only the lily. I thank thee Shakespeare. Because I’ve gone ahead and gilded my pumpkins. Well, actually, I’ve enhanced their already natural beauty with a golden glaze. Then I stacked them high and tied them with copper ribbon.
I made a few other decorative upgrades as well. Here’s the autumn front porch tour.
A few months ago, I invested in some urns that were the perfect size, just not the right color for me. So I freshened up my fiberglass with some white spray paint to achieve a high end look. During the summer, I also purchased some gorgeous gardenia trees that lived happily on my porch until just a few weeks ago, when one perished, for some unknown reason. Its mate, still flourishing, has been transplanted to a large pot in the backyard where it will live this winter.
I dipped my brush in the paint, then wiped most of it off until the brush was almost dry. Then with my dry brush, I glazed the edges of the pumpkins. It took about five minutes. No, maybe four minutes. Total. For all the pumpkins. But I work fast.
I gave the deep orange Cinderella a full body glaze. Wait. Doesn’t that sound like something you get at a day spa? Let me rephrase. How about this: I gave her highlights. And with these kind of curves, I’ve just nicknamed her J. Lo.
But I gave the white versions a stripe like treatment, focusing most of the paint in the ridges. Yes, this is a real pumpkin. It is not a fake. Despite its fake golden glaze. Come November, she will magically transform into a soup.
Then I gingerly stacked my pumpkins, sculpture style. Of course, they insisted on some copper ribbon to go with their golden glaze. Royals are so demanding.
Next, I displayed some other varieties on the neighboring benches.
I embellished some of them as if I was giving them as a gift. A gift to my family. Awwwh, shucks. How sweet.
For their bedding, I chose dry grasses with plum tones instead of the traditional hay bale.
And this is my new best friend. What should his name be?
I splurged on a new rug from Pier One because I couldn’t resist these colors or this pattern.
I added some faux leaves garland around the front door, to add to my existing wreath that I recycled from last year.
I’m obsessed with these plum tones right now.
Then I planted in pots some mums, kale, and the most amazing deep purple basil.
Have you ever seen this kind of basil before? It’s called ‘Dark Opal Basil’ – it’s completely new to me. It’s gorgeous. And when it matures, it will soon be in my salad.
And who can resist a medley of fall squash and corn. Not me.
You sweet little sweet dumpling you.
Strawberry corn. It pops, so I’ve heard.
So here’s the front porch, all dolled up for fall.
I only have one problem. This pesky little critter, who in all likelihood will send at least one of these princesses tumbling very soon. But that’s his job. He’s three.
I’m not kidding when I say it took mere minutes to highlight these pumpkins with a golden glaze.
But you could go all out and gild your gourds
