There’s something about the first crisp mornings of fall that makes us want to bring the season right to the front door. And when it comes to decorating your porch for fall, our philosophy is pretty simple: there’s really no such thing as too many pumpkins.
With pumpkins and gourds arriving from Horsting’s Farm and Garden Mums coming into full bloom, this is one of the easiest—and most fun—times of year to give your entrance a completely new look.
Start With Pumpkins 🎃
Forget perfectly matching everything. Some of the most beautiful fall displays come from mixing different colours, shapes and sizes.
Start with one or two larger pumpkins to anchor your display, then build around them with medium-sized pumpkins, specialty varieties, ornamental gourds and handfuls of little minis.
Try clustering them in groups rather than spacing them evenly. Tuck smaller pumpkins into gaps, stack a few sturdy ones, or let some spill casually down the front steps. The slight imperfection is part of what makes a fall display feel abundant and inviting.
And don't limit yourself to orange! Mixing traditional carving pumpkins with creamy whites, muted greens and unusual specialty varieties creates a beautiful layered look.
Add Some Living Colour 🌼
Pumpkins provide the structure, but plants bring the whole display to life.
Garden Mums are a fall classic for good reason. Their masses of flowers provide an instant burst of rich seasonal colour and look fantastic beside pumpkins.
You can also mix in:
- Pansies for cheerful pops of colour
- Dusty Miller for soft, silvery foliage
- Ornamental Cabbage and Kale for incredible texture and colour
Use existing pots and containers or create a new fall planter specifically for the season. If you're not sure how to combine your plants, try the classic thriller, filler and spiller approach to create height, fullness and movement.
Create Different Heights
One of the easiest tricks for making a porch display look professionally styled is to vary the height.
Use your stairs, plant stands, overturned wooden crates, baskets or different-sized pots to create several levels. Place your largest Mum or planter toward the back, then work downward with pumpkins and smaller plants.
Rather than trying to make both sides of the doorway perfectly symmetrical, you can also create one big, abundant grouping on one side for a more relaxed look.
Make It Your Own
Your front porch is one of the first things people see when they visit your home, so have some fun with it.
Add a wreath, lanterns, a favourite basket, a cozy outdoor throw or whatever feels like fall to you. Natural materials work especially beautifully with pumpkins and plants.
And if you have kids, don't forget the photos! A porch overflowing with pumpkins and Mums makes a pretty wonderful backdrop for those annual first-day-of-school, Thanksgiving and Halloween photos.
Most importantly, your fall porch doesn't need to be elaborate or perfect. It can be as simple as one gorgeous Mum and a few pumpkins beside the door—or gloriously over-the-top.
Come visit Little Mountain, pick your favourites and celebrate the season right from your doorstep.
