Happy Friday GPODers!
And Happy Halloween! We’ve made it to the end of our three festive days of decor, and we’re ending it off with some spectacular displays from a frequent contributor. Howard Nemeroff, the owner of Plant Parenting in Chicago, has shared his incredible container designs several times on the blog before (Check out some of his previous submissions here: New Container Creations from Howard, Howard’s Spring Container Displays, Celebrating Summer and Welcoming Fall, New Creations From a Window Box Expert, and One Window Box, Four Seasons), but today he’s showcasing a different side to his designs—pumpkins! Along with the incredible fall container displays he creates for his clients, he also builds festive pumpkin arrangements. Here are some of his designs from this year, and be sure to check him out on Instagram to see more: @plant_parenting
There are so many elements to play with when designing with pumpkins, and Howard utilizes them all to perfection. Creating captivating color combinations is an obvious choice and some have ridges and bumps that provide excellent texture, but their exciting shapes and forms shouldn’t be ignored. This design plays with color while juxtaposing short and squat varieties with the three tall pumpkins drawing the eye up to the front door.
Shape, texture, and color are all on prominent display in this festive concoction! For a gardener who wants a little bit of everything, Howard piles a fantastic mix of pumpkins, gourds, foliage and berries. And just like his containers, he is able to perfectly mix and combine many elements to create a cohesive design.
However, even simpler designs can be captivating when constructed with Howard’s eye. From this angle, it looks like this massive pile of pumpkins is growing from a vine out of those lush, green containers at the top of the stairs.
With all of the variation out there, a simple stack of pumpkins is all you need for some fun fall decor. However, Howard always takes his designs to the next level. Some dark heuchera scattered throughout and a swirl of burgundy branches gives the display a moodier vibe while clusters of berries add more pops of orange.
Lastly, this classic combination of ornamental cabbage and white mums gets a hair-raising twist with two plastic skeletons tangled up in a trellis of vines. While goth gardening is a trend that has grown in popularity over recent years, you don’t need to plant up special plants to celebrate the spooky season in the garden!
Thank you so much for sharing your gorgeous creations with us again, Howard! It’s inspiring to see how you develop new designs every year and for every season.
As we creep further into fall and the growing season continues to wind down, what activities do you take up to keep the plant magic alive? Do you build beautiful wreaths for the holidays? Does your attention turn to houseplants? Are you already planning the seeds you’ll be starting in winter? Let us know in the comments below, or consider sharing your indoor garden and plant crafts with the blog! Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
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