By Kristi Ritter

A quick trip to the flower shop, hobby store or farmers’ market this fall will yield a mix of beautiful flowers, pumpkins, gourds, nuts and a bounty of other items from nature that combine for a unique fall arrangement to decorate any area of your home.

With cooler temperatures, fall is the perfect time to bring nature indoors. Choose from colorful mums in a variety of shades, bright roses in crimson reds and dusty oranges, lilies and sunflowers for an arrangement for the dining room, kitchen or living space.

Dawna Masteller, manager of Longmont Florist’s north store, says she loves working with mums because they offer great color and last long. Combine mums with fresh flowers in any vibrant fall color along with other elements of nature, including pheasant feathers, fruits, nuts and pods.

While Masteller says they can create any type of arrangement you wish, some people might have a vision for their home and come to the shop with linens to match flowers with or containers to fill.

Alice Jackson, floral designer at Michael’s in Longmont, works directly with people who come in and don’t know exactly what they’re looking for. She suggests starting with the main flower for an arrangement, and then add from there.

“Anything goes, and people will get what they want because it draws them in,” she says.

Whether you choose real or silk flowers, the container you select will often dictate the size and style of arrangement. But container selections don’t have to be limited to glass vases. Look around your home and perhaps you’ll find something that would hold a beautiful arrangement.

“We love to use things from around the home,” Masteller says. “That way you bring in your own item to fill, which makes it very personalized.”

Think outside the box when it comes to containers. Some creative ideas include Mason jars, ceramic containers, pottery, heirloom pieces, cornucopia, sliced logs, book boxes, tins and of course, don’t forget pumpkins and gourds from the fall harvest. But remember that the container you select should also reflect the size of arrangement you want. Jackson says a rule of thumb she follows is that the arrangement should be one to one and a half times larger than the size of the container.

Your arrangement doesn’t have to end though with just flowers. Don’t forget some of those extra elements that signal fall, including feathers, wood balls, hay bales and scarecrows. You can also work candles and statues into the arrangement if it’s going to be lining the center of the table or decorating the coffee table.

While professionals will help give you a finished look to any arrangement, part of the fun is making it your own. Grab a book on floral design and try creating something yourself. “I love when people find they can do something themselves,” Jackson says.