Fall Foliage Arrangements

Over the years I've had fun putting together fall arrangements using materials from our yard and interesting containers. Following are a few examples. They are not fancy, but it is a fun challenge to make an arrangement with what you have on hand.

Red leaves, berries, and an assortment of vases

Pampas grass plumes, dried hydrangea flower, and leaves in an old enamel coffee pot

Leaves in various states of turning color, dried flowers and seed pods, and grass plumes bring a lot of interest to a fall arrangement.

A favorite vase with leaves and dried plant material

The same vase with dried plant material
(I love how the grasses capture the late afternoon sun)

Containers also bring a lot of interest to the arrangement. Vases can be very beautiful and can elevate a fall arrangement. But glass containers, jelly jars, ceramic pitchers or teapots, and enamelware vessels can also do the job.

The enamel camp pot holds pampas plumes, ivy leaves, and red toyon berries

Fall Colors

Fall has definitely arrived here in the Bay Area in the form of rain and cool weather, and with it, some leaves are turning red or gold. It's not the dramatic fall colors of some areas of the country, but it is enough to make it feel like autumn. 

Maple leaves have started to turn red

Another beautiful maple tree in the neighborhood

Some leaves just turn brown or a red-tinged brown. That counts for fall color!

Fallen brown leaves with a tinge of red

Sometimes berries and drupes have to stand in for fall color in the Bay Area. Toyon and hawthorn berries do the job.

Red toyon berries

Red hawthorn berries

Creepy Plants and Fungi for Halloween

I was charmed to come across an article called, 13 Creepy Plants and Fungi for Halloween, from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew website (written by Grace Brewer and Eddie Johnston, and published on Oct 2, 2024). What a great collection of amazing horrors!

We've seen a few creepy fungus and mushrooms of our own over the last year. Rehydrated wood ear mushrooms really do resemble human ears in appearance and feeling. The fly amanita has a deadly allure and beauty about it.

Rehydrated wood ear mushrooms (Auricularia auricula-judae)

Fly amanita (Amanita muscaria)

Slime molds are also fascinating and creepy! These organisms are protozoans rather than fungi. According to Wikipedia, slime molds are a variety of small or microscopic organisms in different groups. They have both single-celled and multicellular forms during their life cycle, the individual cells coming together to form fruiting bodies that produce spores.

Tapioca slime mold (Brefeldia maxima)

Dog vomit slime mold (Fuligo septica, photo by David Harris)

Stay safe this Halloween!