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Photo Credit: Megan Bame

Add some dried okra pods and orange slices to a fall swag for a stunning entry decoration.

Mother Nature is a crafter at heart. I imagine her motto might be “simple elegance.” As home decorators, we can take our cues from her by replicating her outdoor canvas. And just like Ma Nature, we can group fruits, flowers, branches or even fallen leaves indoors and around the house – or isolate them for extra emphasis. The best part is you really don’t have to go far to find what you need – just head outside your door.

Your edible garden may have been bountiful through summer, but come fall, the bounty shifts to beauty. Okra, once green on the stalk, dries to a dull gray, revealing cream stripes as the pods begin to split. Bundled together, then accented with flowers, ribbon or fruit, these prized Southern veggies make an attractive, rustic spray.

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Photo Credit: Megan Bame

Miniature gourds are inexpensive and can be displayed on their own or dressed up with a few tucked-in flowers and oat stems for more interest.

Miniature gourds are novelty garden items that are grown primarily for their decorative quality. The bright, sometimes mixed colors, knobby shapes and multiple uses make these a Thanksgiving favorite. With all the food that traditionally graces the table, the centerpiece should be colorful enough to make an impact but compact enough so it’s not in the way. A pedestal or tall vase can help elevate your “gourd-eous” centerpiece so it doesn’t get lost among the feast.

Another ideal table or buffet decoration is the cornucopia or horn of plenty. The legend, from Greek mythology, states that the possessor of the goat’s horn (gifted by Zeus to Amalthea) was granted whatever he or she wished for. The horn was originally illustrated filled with fruits and flowers, which is essentially the same as how it’s used today, though the horn itself is now a horn-shaped basket. Simply fill it so it’s overflowing with apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, pears, nuts, wheat stalks, colorful leaves or chrysanthemum sprigs. (And of course you can feast on the fruits once the centerpiece has served its duty!)