It’s hard to think of fall without thinking about mums and pumpkins. Is it any surprise that I love decorating the exterior of my home with them? Through the years, I’ve started a tradition on how I shop for and decorate my home’s exterior during the fall season. Here are 5 tips I’d love to share with you:

1) SHOP LOCAL NURSERIES.ย 

Local nurseries offer the best variety of plants as well as differentย colored pumpkins and gourds. I’m partial to supporting local small businesses so despite the convenience of purchasing mums and pumpkins at the supermarket, I usually start the season by visiting my local nursery. During this trip, I typically bring a loved one or two with me. Here’s Lauren, my youngest, blending in well with the scenery. ๐Ÿ™‚

fall shopping

2)ย OKAY TO MIX AND MATCH DIFFERENT PLANT TYPES.ย 

Don’t see a color you like in the same plant family? No worries – just mix and match different varieties. In my recent trip, I picked up an aster plant to complement the color of the mums I chose. I love how the lilac color of the aster enhances the grouping!

mum shopping

3. ARRANGE ITEMS IN VARYING HEIGHTS AND COLORS. ย 

In photo below, you’ll note that I placed one of my mums on a plant stand to give it height. I simply left my aster plant and pumpkin on the ground. For added interest, I placed a lantern (filled with gourds) in front of plant stand. Having a cluster of things certainly draws more interest.

fall outdoor decor clusters

4. SAME COLOR FAMILY STILL ENHANCES COLOR SCHEME.

In my planter, I used coleus (a flowering plant known for its variegated foliage) in the same purple color family as the mums I placed in front of it. I think the colors, although similar, still provide contrasting hues.

purple mums and leaves

5. ADD FUN DECOR ITEMS.

Nothing is wrong with adding cartoony characters to your front yard. It’s going to be Halloweenย after all! It doesn’t matter if you have kids at home or not, there will be kids at your door so why not make them smile! ย ๐Ÿ™‚

Frankenstein and mickey

Here’s the full view of our front steps. I think we’re ready to welcome guests this month as well as the adorable trick-or-treaters we get each year! ๐Ÿ™‚

Fall front door

Do you decorate the exterior of your home for fall? Like this post? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading!