Halloween Garden Decor: Pumpkins, Corn Husks and Flowers

From trick-or-treating to apple-picking to pumpkin spice everything, fall is a favorite time of year for many Americans.  And, of course, the peak of autumn celebrations is Halloween. Though some have linked its ancient origins to the supernatural and spooky, today Halloween is a fun holiday that brings communities and neighborhoods together with costumes, candy, and garden decorations.

In the weeks leading up to the night when kids climb our front porch steps to trick-or-treat, we start planning what the year’s Halloween garden decor will include. Many times, we need to look no farther than our own gardens. 

Halloween Garden Decor Ideas

Corn Husks

Remember all those delicious ears of corn we enjoyed from the summer harvest? Once those husks have finished producing ears, save a few to dry out for some festive fall décor. 

Corn Husk

Simply pull the stalks up by the roots and let them dry out. 

If it is too deeply rooted to pull up by hand, try chopping it down with an axe or clipping it with a sharp pair of pruners. 

When cutting the stalk, be sure to get it as close to the ground as possible. 

Set the husks aside, keeping them upright. They can lean against a fence or a garden shed for a few days while they dry out. Be sure not to leave them lying on the ground for long because they will start to decompose. 

After several days, the corn husks will be dried out to a fall-colored hue of brown. Try tying a few husks together with ribbon or twine to accentuate the front door or attach them to the mailbox post to greet trick-or-treaters.

Corn Husk Banners: Craft rustic and charming banners using dried corn husks. String them along fences, trellises, or between trees to add a touch of harvest-inspired elegance to your garden. You can also intertwine orange and black ribbons to enhance the Halloween theme.

Harvest Festival Seating: Set up a cozy seating area in your garden using bales of hay covered with plaid blankets. Enhance the setting with pumpkins and corn husks strewn around the area. Invite friends and family to gather for a Halloween-inspired harvest festival right in your own backyard.

Mentioning corn and fun, have you tried playing cornboard before?

Pumpkins

Of course, no Halloween decoration is complete without a few pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns.

Pumpkins are fun and easy to grow and make great additions to the summer gardens. But even if they were not included in spring planting, they are available for purchase at most grocery stores and nurseries during the fall.

For variety, try mixing up pumpkin colors. Lumina pumpkins are bright white on the outside and orange on the inside. These white pumpkins are elegant accents to traditional fall colors but also look great when they are carved into jack-o-lanterns.  

Jack-a-littles are tiny orange pumpkins that are perfect for indoor table décor or sitting on porch steps. 

Jarrahdale pumpkins are quite unique, with a warm green hue that compliments other orange, red, and brown Halloween decor nicely. Mixing these unique varieties of pumpkins is a great way to dress up the house for the autumn holidays.

Pumpkin Pathway: Line your garden pathway with a series of carved pumpkins to create a whimsically spooky walkway. Choose various pumpkin sizes and shapes, and carve intricate or classic designs to evoke the Halloween spirit. Illuminate the pumpkins from within using battery-operated LED lights for a mesmerizing glow as darkness sets in.

Jack-o’-Lantern Gathering: Arrange a gathering of jack-o’-lanterns in a central area of your garden. Elevate them on varying levels such as bales of hay or wooden crates to add dimension. You can carve these pumpkins into a mix of friendly and spooky faces, or even incorporate designs inspired by your favorite Halloween characters.

Pumpkin Tower Centerpiece: Create a stunning focal point by stacking a variety of pumpkins in ascending sizes to form a tower. Adorn the tower with faux cobwebs, small plastic spiders, and strategically placed LED candles to give it an eerie allure. Surround the base with autumnal flowers and corn husks for added texture.

Fall Flowers

A plethora of gorgeous fall blooms adds elegance to fun fall decorations. Mums, chrysanthemums, aster, dianthus, and violas can all produce blooms in lovely warm hues of orange, red, and purple. 

Try pairing some of these flowers with purple fountain grass, croton, or flowering kale to create an elegant statement piece for the front porch. With proper sunlight and water, most will continue blooming until the first frost.

Flower Pot Cauldrons: Transform ordinary flower pots into magical cauldrons by painting them in dark shades like black or deep purple. Plant vibrant fall flowers, such as chrysanthemums, marigolds, and pansies, inside these pots. Add faux witches’ broomsticks for an extra playful touch.

Floral Wreaths with a Twist: Craft wreaths using dried flowers, branches, and twigs, and weave in elements like miniature pumpkins and corn husks for a Halloween twist. Hang these wreaths on your garden gate, front door, or even on tree branches to greet visitors with a hint of spooky elegance.

Haunting Floral Arbors: If you have a garden arbor or trellis, drape it with black or deep purple fabric to create a dramatic backdrop. Adorn the fabric with artificial cobwebs and incorporate orange and red flowers for a bewitching contrast.

Enchanted Flower Beds: Integrate autumnal flowers like black-eyed Susans, dahlias, and sedums into your garden beds. Scatter small pumpkins and corn husks around the flower beds to seamlessly blend the Halloween theme with the beauty of nature.

Pumpkin Planters: Repurpose large, hollowed-out pumpkins as unique planters. Fill them with fall-flowering plants or even ornamental grasses for a striking arrangement that combines the allure of pumpkins with the vibrant colors of autumn blooms.

Halloween Garden Decor DIY

Creating DIY Halloween outdoor decorations for your garden can be a fun and creative way to celebrate the spooky season. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  1. Pumpkin Planters: Hollow out a few pumpkins and use them as planters for fall flowers or ornamental grasses. You can carve spooky faces on them or paint them in eerie colors.
  2. Ghostly Gourds: Paint or draw ghost faces on white or light-colored gourds. Arrange them around your garden for a cute and eerie touch.
  3. Witch’s Broomsticks: Gather some long sticks and bundle them together with twine to create witch’s broomsticks. Lean them against a wall or hang them from a tree.
  4. Spider Webs: Use white yarn or string to create spider webs between plants, trees, or fences. You can add plastic spiders for an extra creepy effect.
  5. Haunted Pathway: Line your garden pathway with lanterns, mason jars, or even plastic skulls. Use battery-operated candles or fairy lights inside for a spooky glow.
  6. Tombstones: Craft tombstones out of cardboard, foam board, or plywood. Paint them to look weathered and inscribe them with funny or eerie epitaphs.
  7. Cauldron Planters: Find an old cauldron or large pot and use it as a planter. Plant dark-colored flowers or ornamental kale for a witchy touch.
  8. Glowing Eyes: Cut out eye shapes from toilet paper rolls or cardboard tubes. Place glow sticks inside and hide them in bushes for an eerie effect.
  9. Creepy Creatures: Create silhouettes of bats, cats, or other spooky creatures out of black construction paper or cardboard. Attach them to stakes and place them around the garden.
  10. Witch’s Hat Garden Stakes: Craft witch hats out of black cardboard and attach them to wooden stakes. Arrange them in your garden for a whimsically spooky vibe.
  11. Skeleton Outdoor Halloween Decor: Use plastic skeleton parts or full skeletons to create eerie scenes. You can have a skeleton reading a book on a bench or lounging in a hammock.
  12. Glowing Jack-O’-Lanterns: Carve or paint pumpkins with spooky faces and place battery-operated tea lights inside for a safer alternative to traditional candles.
  13. Foggy Atmosphere: Set up a DIY fog machine using dry ice and warm water to create an eerie mist throughout your garden.
  14. Haunted Tree: If you have a tree in your garden, decorate it with hanging ghosts, bats, or spider webs. You can even add some colored lights for a vibrant touch.
  15. Glowing Path Markers: Use glow-in-the-dark paint to create eerie symbols or footprints on the pathway.

Remember to consider safety while creating your outdoor Halloween decorations, especially if you’re using spooky lighting or flammable materials. Have fun getting creative and turning your garden into a spooky and festive Halloween haven!

Conclusion – Halloween Garden Decor

Our gardens are a source of joy and sustenance, providing food for our tables, but a garden’s beauty can be enjoyed through the autumn. By incorporating these garden beauties into our Halloween decorations, we can add fun and elegance to our homes while we enjoy the fall holidays.