Text by Elizabeth Czapski
The arrival of October means fall is officially in full swing, and with that comes its long-anticipated color show outside, along with cozy gatherings inside. Bridge the two and bring autumn’s kaleidoscopic beauty into your cottage with the season’s broad spectrum of floral offerings, infusing the everyday with subdued natural splendor and all the special occasions to come with rich, radiant displays. Keep reading for some fabulous tips for working with fall flowers from Meg Blancato, co-owner and vice president of Native Poppy, a San Diego, California, flower business that creates artful arrangements and curates distinctive gifts to achieve their mission of “sharing love through the power of flowers.”
The Cottage Journal: What are some of your favorite go-to fall flowers and why?
Meg Blancato: We really lean into fall colors in the flowers we pick—lots of burnt orange, mustard, and burgundy, and then balance that with pops of peach, taupe, and caramel, which make it feel playful and on-brand for Native Poppy. A few of our fall staples include orange ilex berries, marigolds (French and standard), amaranth, fall mums, beech branches, and chocolate sunflowers.
TCJ: What are your favorite ways to showcase fall flowers throughout the home—both inside and out?
MB: Got to have a dried wreath on the door! Such a beautiful way to showcase the colors and textures of fall in a unique way. Bud vases of fall blooms around your house are a lovely way to bring those same colors and textures throughout the home. We also love tall vases of single bloom ingredients like orange ilex berries or fall leaves. It feels like a small version of the trees turning color—especially because you don’t get that very much in San Diego.
TCJ: What are your best tips for fall flower displays with longevity and low upkeep?
MB: We love designing with dried flowers for fall. What’s great about dried flowers is that they need little to no upkeep or maintenance. They’re the flower equivalent of “set it and forget it”—no water, no trimming, nothing! And dried never looks more at home than in the fall. If you do go fresh, branches are typically going to give you a much longer vase life than fresh-cut blooms.
TCJ: What are your best tips for standout fall flower arrangements for entertaining occasions?
MB: Fall holidays are really the perfect time for big, beautiful arrangements that tend to be celebrated inside. The flowers bring so much warmth and softness to a tablescape, and the colors are really striking. If you are mostly a DIY flower fan, this is a time we recommend ordering from a professional—especially on Thanksgiving! You already have way too much on your plate (see what we did there) without trying to figure out a flower arrangement.
TCJ: What are your favorite non-floral accents to include with fall flower displays?
MB: Taper candles all day, every day. We carry gorgeous dripless taper candles in our flower shops, and they are super popular during the fall season. They come in so many beautiful colors now, and there are so many stunning holders as well. The holders, tapers, and flowers come together to create a piece of art. And tapered candles feel so special and fancy, even though it’s a very simple setup.
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