4 Tips for Creating a Beautiful Fall Gardencore Tablescape
Bring the beauty of the garden to your autumn table with these four tips for creating a romantic fall gardencore tablescape full of charm and character.
I’ve said it before: I love October! And it was time to reset our dining room table — something I do seasonally. Sometimes each holiday that comes along. But the fall cascade of holidays can be busy, so I generally try to create a simple tablesetting that will easily transition from autumn to Halloween to Thanksgiving with minimal effort.
Honestly, this just makes me smile every time I sit down!
This year I’m leaning in to a moody vibe. But it all started with one decidedly not-moody object:
Look at that beautiful painting! It’s a work of art from the city of art.
My husband and I bought this hand-painted planter in Florence a few years ago — an anniversary gift to each other. It’s so beautiful with shades of green and sprinkles of Tuscan red. I absolutely love it! And it’s not small! Getting it home on the plane was a bit of a logistical challenge. Let’s just say: lots of dirty laundry came in handy!
This pot does not have a drainage hole in the bottom. And you know that good drainage is essential for plants. But this kind of planter is called a cachepot — meaning a pot that you hide something in. In this case that hidden something is an ugly or utilitarian pot that slips inside and holds the plant.
Tip #1: Never Plant Directly into a Cachepot
Never plant directly into a cachepot. Use a smaller terracotta or nursery pot inside, and then just bottom water by putting some water into the cachepot once or twice per week. Just be sure that inner pot has good drainage.
I have lots of houseplants. Probably too many houseplants, frankly. And I could have slipped one into the cachepot and been done with it. But I wanted to lean into that Tuscan red color in the pot, and there aren’t a lot of houseplants in those orangey-red tones.
But this leads me to my second tablesetting tip:
Tip #2: Bring the Outdoors In
Bring in the outdoors! For a relatively temporary thing like a seasonal table setting, shop your garden center for perennials or annuals to dress your table. You’ll find bigger plants, more interesting colors and varieties, and you can plant them outside when it’s time to change things up again.
This is cheaper and longer-lasting than using cut flowers, too. I love cut flowers, but we are at the point in the year when the bouquets aren’t as reliable anymore. And I tend to leave as many flowers as possible for the bees.
If you’ll recall, I did exactly this last spring when I set the table for Easter | Spring. And all of those plants except the Bird’s Nest Fern made their way into the garden where they have thrived all summer long.
My Spring | Easter tablesetting — Gardencore to the max!
These leaves have such a pretty shape, but they also have huge variegation in their leaves — reds, oranges, yellows, and greens. It’s all of the shades in my cachepot — and all of the beauty of fall, in one plant.
Another advantage of using outside plants: they are often larger. This heuchera came in a large pot which fit the cachepot perfectly.
When it’s time to reset the table, I’ll just find a spot in the garden for this beauty, and all shall be well. It could even overwinter in the greenhouse if I want to keep it through Thanksgiving.
Once I had my cachepot filled, it was time to build out the tablesetting. I started with a tablerunner. I have a few fall runners to choose from — collected over the years. I wanted something simple, so I pulled out a runner that I made a few years ago from paper grocery bags.
Seriously. This is such a simple and easy project, and I have used this runner for years. It was basically free to make, and it’s so cute for fall. Here’s a tutorial for how to make one for yourself:
I have a small bin of fall decorations collected over the years. I never use it all, and I never use it in the same way year to year. That’s part of the creative challenge! Usually my son helps with the seasonal changes, too, which makes it all more fun.
For my fall table I suspected that my favorite garden center would have some lovely fall foliage, and they didn’t disappoint. This is a Heuchera (one of my favorite plants) called Sirens’ Song Orange Delight. I’m always good with an Odyssey reference, too!
Heuchera Sirens’ Song Orange Delight
This tablerunner is just made from brown paper bags. It’s easy and surprisingly durable.
This year I chose some very simple elements to pull it all together:
I started with these green blown-glass candlesticks that my sister gave me for my birthday a few years ago along with these fancy candles. She has exquisite taste, and they pick up the green in the cachepot.
They are so delicate and fragile, and I absolutely love them! And those hand-painted candles are stunning. She gave them to me as well.
More candles of the less-fancy variety. I have had these pillar candles for years and years, but the twisted candles are new. They are the only thing I bought — and the only reason I did that: I can’t find one of my orange pillar candles! It’s here somewhere, but I could not find it. Searched high and low! My pillar candles (orange and green) were from Pottery Barn years ago. They don’t seem to have them this season. Sad.
I love a good chunky pillar candle. And if you use my trick, they will last for decades!
So I found these pretty orange twisty candles, and I like them, too. They are from West Elm, and the color is Clay. Here’s a link if you need more candles.
These twisted candles are a pretty new addition to my fall collection.
Tip #3: Save those Candles Forever
Make your candles last forever! Those big chunky pillar candles are fabulous, but when they have burned down to a perfect depth, stop burning them. Instead drop in a votive candle in a clear plastic cup. Burn that instead, and your pillar candles will last for decades! Seriously, I think I have had some of these for nearly 20 years!
I also pulled out some of these paper leaves which I cut a few years ago from an old book.
Some years I hang them from the branch chandelier, but with all of the candles on the table, I decided that was a bit risky. So I just put a few out on the table. This is another super-easy and simple project. Here’s the tutorial:
And then there’s my favorite thing: these vintage leaf-shaped luncheon plates. They are hand-carved. From wood. And you were supposed to eat lunch on them at a party, I guess. Very 1950’s, I think. They have a little circle for your cup — I wonder what the cups looked like! I bought these for $1 each at an estate sale a few years ago, and I think they are amazing.
Completely impractical! But super cool!
And that brings me to the next tip:
A simple leaf shape cut from the page of a vintage book.
Tip #4: Buy the Weird Stuff
Buy the weird stuff. You see it. You think about it. Don’t overextend yourself, but $7 for seven hand-carved wooden luncheon plates? Yes, please! You can always resell it later, but buy the weird stuff. It makes your home so much more interesting and cozy and uniquely you.
All in all this took an hour or so plus a trip to my garden center. A little rummaging. A little editing. And the table is dressed for the season.
This is why I could never be an influencer. I can’t tell you to go buy $400 worth of stuff to dress your table for three weeks. I have collected and made all of these things over years. And I like the weird stuff. No one earns commission on the weird stuff!
Create some beauty and fight the Fascists!
Too many houseplants, but that afternoon light!
at the close…
So you know that I believe that creating beauty in our lives is an act of resistance against the ugliness of Fascism. So I encourage you: create some beauty today even if it is only setting your dining room table for the season. It may not be earth-shattering art, but it makes me happy each time I walk past. And joy is fuel for the Resistance.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask!
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Happy Gardening!
Angela
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