Fall has arrived and although our days are still in the high 80’s here in the Arizona desert, the evenings and early mornings have definitely cooled. Produce and colors associated with this season (bring on the pumpkins!) are my favorite so it always gets me in the mood to create. I collected a piece of Cholla Wood on 1 of my morning walks and it inspired me to make this fall table decoration.

I was planning on doing an arrangement with bromeliads and tillandsias but I couldn’t find them in the color I wanted. Nothing like a little last minute shopping and a change of plans to send your design plan in another direction. A white Phalaenopsis Orchid goes with every season so I decided to make it the star of the show along with a few of my favs: succulents. White pumpkins with a touch of orange, so readily available these days, tie in beautifully.

Creating a fall table decoration at my work table:

The ingredients:

White Phalaenopsis Orchid.

2″ Succulents.

Succulent cuttings.

White & orange mini-pumpkins.

Pomegranates (picked off my tree).

Mini pears.

Mini sweet peppers, orange.

Shisito peppers.

Magnolia cones (collected in Santa Barbara).

Walnuts, gilded with bronze & gold metallic paints.

Not shown:

Cholla wood branch (collected on a walk here in Tucson).

Dazzling Metallics; rich espresso & champagne gold.

Sheet moss, green.

Florist’s wire.

Hot glue.

Steps taken:

1- Wrap the root balls of the succulents & the orchid going on the branch with sheet moss. Wrap the root balls as you would packages & secure with hot glue. The orchid was largest so I wrapped it with wire too.

Tip: Dampen the moss 1st because it makes it more pliable & easier to work with.

Close up of a cholla wood branch with small succulents and a moss covered pot attached with green wire Fall table decoration

2- Attach the wrapped bundles to the cholla wood branch & secure on with wire. Cholla wood is loaded with holes so it’s great for this kind of project.

A white phalaenopsis orchid sits in a cholla wood branch along with small succulents Fall table decoration

3- Remove the stakes from the orchid because it gave the piece a more natural look. I tied the longer orchid stem to the branch with a piece of green moss twine.

1 white phalaenopsis orchid and small succulents are placed on a cholla branch White and orange pumpkins and succulents cuttings are at the base Fall table decoration

Here’s the simplified version I put in my dining room after the filming.

The finished piece as I made it outdoors at my work table.

looking down on a fall table decoration which includes small white pumpkins, fruits, nuts, foliage, and succulents

4- I start the decor on the table by placing the largest pieces – with this, the pumpkins & the pomegranates. I work in everything else where I find it pleasing. You’ll see this in the video. I always do a little tweaking at the end because of aesthetics or simply because some ingredient isn’t staying put.

Small pears, white and orange pumpkins, pomegranates, orange peppers, green peppers, magnolia cones and gilded walnuts are next to a brass pot with succulents fall table decoration

5- Succulents, succulent cuttings, moss, & foliage are placed at the base of the pot. The look appeals to me & it covers up the rock which is anchoring the branch.

A Pink Jelly Bean Sedum cutting rest on top of an orange and white pumpkin and a magnolia cone Orange peppers, green peppers, small pears and gilded walnuts re also in the display

I love the Pink Jelly Bean sedum – so shiny & pretty with that blush of pink.

The walnuts, gilded with bronze & gold, add an elegant touch. I’ve always used magnolia cones in my decorations & here they help to anchor some of the smaller ingredients in.

Oh fall – we love your colors, your light and the bounty you yield. It’s such a fabulous time to create and this piece would welcome your guests on Thanksgiving. I hope this inspires you to make a table decoration using whatever mother nature offers wherever may be.

Happy fall, happy creating,

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About the Author
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Nell Foster

Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.