Pumping Up Mums

‘Jack O’ Lantern’ mums

Mums. Yes, autumn is about more than just mums, but we value the hardy fall color they deliver so it’s up to us to find creative ways to use them. Here are some ideas to get you thinking outside—or at least around the border of—the mum box, especially as Halloween looms on the horizon.

A row of ornamental kale completes the design

Now mums are colorful and most shades work well together, so often we’ll see a lineup of assorted colors in a display bed and that’s fine. However, to get noticed in a sea of colorful fall arrangements, try making a pattern with just two shades instead—it catches the eye. They can be complementary like orange and red, or contrasting, like orange and purple. Add a row of ornamental kale/cabbage in pink, red, or white as a border to complete the design.

Add a little spookiness with Juncus spiralis

Set aside the predominant orange for a moment and consider an elegant monotone look using all white pumpkins and white mums. Morph the white mums into a ghostly combo for Halloween with some other pale plants like chilling Silverbush that we discussed a couple of weeks ago and ‘Silver Falls’ dichondra to spill over the edges. Bring in a hint of color by adding a teal pumpkin if you can find one; white mums are great neutrals for pairing with the range of colorful heirloom pumpkins that have become trendy lately.

Cordyline ‘Red Star’ for height

Rather than some stale dried cornstalks, switch to live ornamental grass for vertical interest. Cordyline ‘Red Star’ is tall, dark, and spiky in shades of red and burgundy—a necessary thriller for the season. Pennisetum ‘Vertigo’ in deep purple-green is another tall, dramatic grass to use, and curly Juncus spiralis adds a bit of the bizarre. Another way to go is with ornamental corn; ‘Field of Dreams’ has colorful striped leaves of green, white, and pink and grows around 3–4 feet high.

Contrast with ‘Field of Dreams’ ornamental corn

For a gothic motif, pair dark burgundy kale with red or purple mums. Add dusty miller for a touch of gray that intensifies the purple tones, and some creeping wire vine to trail out over the sides. A combo like this looks great in a fancy old urn or a repurposed chandelier hanging from a tree. Quirky works when Halloween is in the air so use whatever is at hand— autumn is a great time of year to turn old and rusty into rustic and charming.

Please visit the Availability page of our website for an up-to-date list of our colorful mums and assorted autumn accents.