5 tips for creating a dried autumn arrangement

I recently shared our dining room dressed for autumn with chunky pumpkins and a pretty dried arrangement on the table.

This arrangement was such a fun one to create and SO EASY. So today I am breaking down just what inspired me, what is included & how to create a dried flower arrangement of your own with 5 simple tips.

What I used:

Dried Hollyhock Stems

Wild Grass Clippings

Pampas Grass

Dried Oak Leaves on branches

Dried Baby’s Breath

Dried Larkspur

Dried Millet

A handful of dried white roses

Where I started

Whenever I say that- I think of The Sound Of Music.

‘Let’s start at the very beginning… a very good place to start’ – sorry if now you are singing along haha.

Basically, I started by stepping outside and doing a bit of wandering to see what was drying beautifully in the garden and yard. I started gathering up different things and found that I seemed to be drawn to a common thing- rich golden tones and lots of texture.

#1. See what inspires you

One simple dried up bloom in the garden that I absolutely loved the look of what the big kick off for the look.

Hollyhock stalks.

Normally you would let those hollyhocks dry, drop their seeds and then cut them and toss them. But I fell in love with the texture and detail these seeds have- and the way those stalks look.

To note: They will make a bit of a mess dropping their seeds if you clip them before they have opened and dropped them already. I just tidied those seeds up and tossed them back into the garden.

#2. Find a color or texture you love – and layer

One of the tips for this arrangement was finding the color and texture that spoke to me- and then layering it on.

For example- since this is a natural, neutral autumn look- it is all about shades of golds, yellows and whites- and lots of those shades with lots of texture. Wheat, grasses, millet, corn, pampas grass, etc.- they all have a lovely similar shade and unique texture that add interest without being visually busy.

#3. Add an accent just a tad off the rest of the colors

When creating a monotone or neutral look – keeping those elements all within a similar shade or tone is key- but adding something in that is a tad off is a good thing. In this case- it was dried oak leaves.

You can see they add a warm rich brown tone to this – and that beautiful hue adds so much to the overall finished look- but since it is just a tad off color wise- it doesn’t stand out and take center stage. Each of these elements, colors and bits play a key role in creating the overall layers of lovely look.

#4. Go big (or go small)

I love that this arrangement has so much height and width to it- and I think since it is a neutral color- adding that height and width really gives it a feeling of importance and more presence on the table.

You can create a similar look inside a smaller vase and with less oomph- it will be beautiful as well. But I do think the fun thing with this one is that is slightly oversize and unexpected.

#5. Don’t be afraid to add something store bought into the mix

Though this is almost all gathered up from our yard- I also added something I found at HomeGoods awhile back.

Pampas grass is a hugely popular natural element and it was absolutely perfect for filling in areas with that feathery soft look. There are several styles, colors, sizes etc of this and many other natural grasses and dried florals you could add in as well to create your own unique look.

A few ideas?

Nigella Pods

Lotus pods

Dried golden eucalyptus

Preserved leaves

Bare Branches

Dried hydrangeas

And many, many others. Just think outside the box when creating.

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NOTE: Of course- anytime you are using any flowers-fresh or dried- know what you are using and touching and be mindful of any that might be poisonous to pets or children and don’t use them. I would also recommend wearing gloves to keep anything that might be harmful or irritating off your skin.

What do you think of how this turned out?

I hope it inspires you to look at those dried up elements in your garden in a different way.

Happy Wednesday all.