Make the most of seasonal blooms and foliage with this large, bold, and beautiful autumn planter arrangement.

 

Now that autumn is in full swing, my local garden centre is stocked with seasonal plants and flowers that I can’t wait to incorporate into my arrangements.

There are so many beautiful options to choose from, ranging from chrysanthemum, heather, and ivy to the pale pink berries of Gaultheria mucronata (prickly heath) and deep burgundy foliage of heuchera. 

One of my favourite ways to display these autumnal staples is to use a planter. Our Bedingfield and Parham planters are perfect for this type of display, offering the space you need to include an array of different blooms for instant impact.

Keen to make your own? Here’s my step-by-step guide to creating an eye-catching autumn planter:

 

1.     Choose a planter

Ideally, you’ll need a vessel that’s large enough to hold multiple plants yet still in keeping with the rest of your interior décor. Our Bedingfield Planter has rustic appeal with its off-white glaze, light distressing, and raised detailing, and it measures 32cm across its diameter. Alternatively, our Parham Planter has a similar diameter of 31.5cm but stands out thanks to its distinctive texture and matte white finish. 

 

2.     Add gravel

Once you’ve selected your vessel, the next step is to add a thin layer of gravel. This provides a solid base for your plants and helps with drainage.

 

3.     Position your plants

Now it’s time to get creative. Gather all your plants together and start playing with their positions until you’re completely happy with the layout. For my display, I chose to use ivy, thyme, heather, chrysanthemum, Gaultheria mucronata, heuchera, and corkscrew rush.

I love the way the different shades of pink and green work together, with the berries nodding to harvest and the heather and corkscrew rush reminiscent of the plants we find in the fields surrounding our home at this time of year. Don’t worry if plants hang over the sides of the planter, that just adds to the beauty and naturalistic appearance of this arrangement.

4.     Plant in place

As soon as you’re happy with the positioning of your plants, take them out of their pots and fill any gaps with compost.

5.     Add fresh moss

 

To ensure the arrangement looks cohesive, I recommend using fresh moss to cover the compost and add another shade of green to the display.

 

6.     Enjoy!

 

Now you can put your planter on display. You might choose to use it as a table centrepiece, to add colour to your kitchen counters, or to welcome guests on a sideboard in your entrance hall. To keep it looking its best, try to choose a room that benefits from natural light, water sparingly to avoid overwatering, and wipe down the planter regularly to ensure it stays fresh and clean.