By Abbie Burgess, Midwest Living
Combine
fall blooms with natural elements of the season such as dried grasses
and wheat to create centerpieces and other fall accents for your home.
The
blooms of summer have begun to fade, but the cheer of floral
arrangements can still brighten your home through the autumn. By mixing
wild Midwest foliage with fall’s traditional flowers, you can
make centerpieces that bring just the right seasonal touch to your
decor.
I used these techniques earlier this fall when my cousin got married
on her organic farm in Michigan. The entire family pitched in to help
pull off this outdoor, rustic, Midwest celebration. The day before the
ceremony, we ventured together into the prairie surrounding the
vegetable fields to gather wildflowers and wild greenery for floral
centerpieces. By interspersing seasonally appropriate store-bought
flowers such as lavender, roses and eucalyptus with hand-picked
sunflowers and wild plants, we made the perfect harvest-time
decorations.
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Ditch traditional vases.
Here’s how you can make your own wild-inspired arrangements this fall.
Clustering repurposed glass bottles of different colors and sizes creates dimension and variety on your table.
[post_ads_2]Turn to nature.
For flowers, see what’s still
blooming in your garden or being sold at local farmers markets.
Gladioli, echinacea, dry hydrangeas, and sunflowers are good bets this
time of year. For greenery, check around the yard. Sumac leaves, dried
grass stalks, and sprigs of Autumn olive will all lend that fall look
you’re going for. The Midwest is rich in natural beauty, so draw
inspiration from the scenery and colors around you.
Keep it simple.
Choose one or two types of flowers
and greenery per bottle. Bohemian chic is trendy in floral design right
now, and it’s easy to get the look by generously draping wild greenery.
Create a balanced, cohesive display by adding sprigs of greenery in
groups of three.
[post_ads_2]Prep for a long-lasting arrangement.
Remove the
leaves from the stems that sit in the bottle. Place a drop of hydrogen
peroxide in the water to keep the blooms fresh longer. Wildflowers
sometimes wilt sooner than greenhouse flowers, so be prepared to switch
out some elements of your arrangement as it fades.
[post_ads_2]Keep experimenting.
Change up the combinations until
you love what you’ve created and it fits well with your space. You can
enjoy these centerpieces for entertaining or just for every day,
bringing a touch of Midwest fall beauty inside your home.
