October is a time for foraging in the garden and in the countryside. As leaves begin to change, and there are plenty of berries around, it is a wonderful moment to pull together a seasonal bouquet that will brighten the cloudiest of days. Learn how to create this bouquet from our September/October 2020 issue (still available for order in digital version!).
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Early fall is a season when colors are intense and foliage generous. Flowers and plants seize the opportunity to flourish for a last vivid show before preparing for their winter hibernation.
This seasonal bouquet includes a mix of dahlia and rose blooms — pale pink, with a whisper of orange — and stretching stalks of deep, purple salvia and magenta astilbe. A base is created with bright green raspberry leaves, and a head of hydrangea is used for bulk and support.
The bouquet’s playful, varied hues — pink, orange, red, mauve — are the epitome of fall and play soothingly off each other. The arrangement is pulled together with the last touches of bright, red viburnum berries, bountifully dotting their branches.
Creating this bouquet is simple. Use a wide, shallow bowl, preparing it with a ball of chicken wire to offer additional support for the long stems.
Start the bouquet with the raspberry foliage, to give an outline to the base of the arrangement. Next, build up more body with the hydrangea head and some viburnum berries.
Begin tucking in the roses and dahlias at different heights, so the eye is led around the bouquet. Finally, add a little movement and lightness with the longer stems of astilbe and salvia.
This arrangement should last for several days and will bring some autumnal color and texture to the home.
Read next: Tips for Growing Dahlias
This article originally appeared in the Sept/Oct 2020 issue of My French Country Home.
Photography © Sharon Santoni