USING YOUR GARDEN’S NATURAL RESOURCES TO CREATE SEASONAL DECOR 

As the autumn festivities are in full swing, many are decorating their homes inside and out with seasonal decor, but some may not realise that buying new decorative items is not always necessary – the materials needed to make your home a cosy haven this autumn may be just a few steps away. 

Sales Director at Oxfordshire’s Pye Homes, Danielle Simpson, shares her ideas and inspiration on utilising your garden’s natural materials to create beautiful decorations and feature pieces this autumn. Residents at the likes of Pye Homes’ Church Farm new build development in Oxfordshire are just a stone’s throw from beautiful walking routes with nature in abundance; such outdoor spaces are a goldmine for foraging these natural resources. 

Wreath-making 

Whilst shops brim with ready-made wreaths, some of the most beautiful materials for seasonal decorating can be found right on your doorstep. Setting a welcoming tone for your home and standing out from your neighbours, wreaths can be simple and rewarding to make and an opportunity for the whole family to get outdoors and be involved, especially when sourcing your own materials! 

Step 1 

Starting with the wreath’s base, use willow, grapevine, or any other flexible branches twisted into a circular shape, weaving the stems together and securing them with twine or string. 

Step 2 

Once you have your frame, layer it in greenery including ivory, rosemary, or bay leaves for texture and a pleasant scent. 

Step 3 

Now it’s time to add your autumnal touches, whether it be a cluster of berries, small branches of coloured foliage, pinecones, or colourful leaves, make use of elements directly from your garden to bring your wreath to life, adding plenty of seasonal colours. Top tip: branches, pinecones and leaves can be personalised with spray paints and glitter in autumnal hughes to give it that extra touch! 

Step 4  

Choose which area of your home you want to add your beautiful seasonal craft to. Will it be on your front door to welcome guests and ‘wow’ neighbours and the local community, or placed above a fireplace above your bed, or even as a flat centrepiece on the dining table?  

Bringing the outdoors in 

To add a little colour and personality to your home, explore your garden or surrounding outdoor areas to search for bare sticks and colourful leaves to add to vase displays, or pinecones and chestnuts to add to a bowl which will make for a lovely table centrepiece display. 

Nestle candles inside of leftover jars surrounded by acorns or small pebbles, or line them along a mantlepiece with scattered dry leaves. 

Create an autumnal garland made from a variety of crisp golden leaves strung together with a thin piece of string; perfect for enhancing a bedroom, fireplace, windowsill or shelf display. 

Top takeaway: Aim to mix textures and colours to create beautiful displays; think vibrant berries against rustic leaves and dark acorns. 

Seasonal garden activities 

There are many activities and projects to carry out in your garden that will also keep little ones entertained, including creating a hedgehog house. To create a cosy hideaway for your local spikey wildlife, construct a wooden box with a narrow entrance to deter predators, fill it with dry leaves, and place it in a quiet, shady area, and cover it with more leaves and soil, ensuring there is some ventilation.  

Additionally, give little critters somewhere to reside when you create your very own five star bug hotel. Simply stack a wooden pallet or an old wooden box and fill the compartments with natural material found around your garden including twigs, stones, dry leaves, and soil. Place the hotel in a sheltered spot that receives a mixture of sunlight and shade to attract a variety of different insects. 

Such seasonal projects are perfect for introducing personality into a space, especially new build properties where its blank canvas provides endless possibilities to making a house a home. 

www.pyehomes.co.uk