Last fall, I tossed my rotted pumpkin behind the compost pile, hoping a seed or two would grow this year. To my delight, I found six huge pumpkins growing amongst the weeds this week. The one above was the smallest. Isn’t nature’s generosity amazing?
This arrangement celebrates the gold colors of autumn’s harvest, featuring a mix of two kinds of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), two forms of Zinnia (Z. elegans), Gloriosa Daisies (Rudbeckia hirta) and yellow Lantana, with Foxtail grass seed heads (Setaria pumila) completing the Mason jar ‘vase.’
Continuing the harvest theme, I’ve used my grape motif pitcher for a second arrangement containing Concord grapes from vines that were here when we bought the house nearly 30 years ago. As we are not fans of grape jelly, they sadly tend to rot on the vine. I tasted one and they are quite flavorful, so I might pick some for eating later.
Included are purple New England and Heart-leaved Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae and S. cordifolium), dark and light pink Cactus Zinnias , white Phlox paniculata and Japanese Bloodgrass (Imperata cylindrica).
I’m linking to our host Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday meme at Rambling in the Garden. Wander over to see what other gardeners are arranging from their garden this week.
Eliza Waters 
Nature is so generous! Beautiful results.
Thank you, Karen!
I really enjoy the oranges and yellows for they look bright and cheerful.
Thank you, Anne. 🙂
Surprise Pumpkins, how fun! You can ‘scratch’ a squashes skin, for instance with a letter, it will heal/scar and be there when it’s full grown. Happy Bee. Concord grapes are sweeter after a frost. You can freeze grapes for a tasty & refreshing treat. Lovely colors.
Thank you, Alice. I’ve put the pumpkins staggered along the stone wall next to the front walk. We’re looking very New Englandish! Thanks for the grape tips. 🙂
What a lovely surprise and a beautiful harvest post. I get a few attempts but there is never enough water through our Mediterranean summer.
Thank you. We were blessed with adequate rain this year, enough for everything to grow well.
Well done for producing from your compost; usual good arrangement
Thank you, Derrick. Compost is gold! 😉
Beautiful arrangements Eliza but I’m particularly impressed at your pumpkins!
Thank you, Andrea. An autumn surprise gift!
How wonderful to have found those pumpkins growing. Beautiful arrangements too!
Thank you, Belinda!
Flowers and vases are lovely, but the pumpkin story made me laugh out loud. Go Mother Nature. 🙂
🙂 She gives and gives… what a Mom! 😉
Thanks, Judy!
The abundance of seed is truly amazing. From ONE tiny verbena seed grows a flower that produces THOUSANDS of more baby seeds! It honestly astonishes me!
Beautiful arrangements as always.
Thank you! Nature truly does amaze.
Beautiful bouquets Eliza! I especially enjoy the fall one with the pumpkin, maybe because it’s finally fall. Although here, it’s still hitting the 90’s and breaking records. I bet you’re feeling like fall with beautiful leaves by now.
Thank you, Cindy! It is amazing that you are still getting all that heat and it is nearly October. And to think Montana just got 3′ of snow! Nature is speaking to us, loud and clear… is anyone, other than gardeners and farmers, listening?
Wow Eliza! Very colorful!
Thank you, Reed!
Lovely arrangements, as usual. And wonderful that those “free-range” pumpkins.
Haha, ‘free-range’ – love it! Thanks, Laurie!
😉
BEAUTIFUL! Oh how I love the color palette of Autumn! The addition of the grapes in the second arrangement are delightful! I bet the birds love you for leaving all those grapes on the vines!
Thank you, Julie! I imagine the critters don’t mind my leaving the grapes for them. 🙂
So pretty! Do you cook your pumpkins for pie fillings?
Thank you! I never even used the 2 qt. I froze last year. All those good intentions. 😉 As much as I love pumpkin soup, pie, bars and bread, I don’t manage to make them. (sigh)
Surprises in kitchen garden are always wonderful!
Yes, indeed! Always a gift. 🙂
Lovely! I wonder if that pumpkin trick would work here? Not enough water perhaps. Given that the squirrels usually tunnel through my pumpkins almost as soon as they appear outside, you’d think they would have “planted” some afterwards as a thank you for their treats.
Thank you, Kris. At least here there are lots of acorns and such for squirrels. Voles are most likely to cause damage in my garden, little devils!
Love the colours!
Thank you, Correne!
Your Zinnias look so lush I am annoyed! Love the vases and the pumpkin, nature is amazing, I used to get the occasional pumpkin but they always mildewed! Lucky and low humidity?!
🙂 Thanks, Amy. Zinnias definitely don’t like humidity, which thankfully, we didn’t have too badly this summer, and though the pumpkin vines mildewed, they managed to produce well.
Amazing! 😊
Thank you, Irene!
The sunny golden vase is great. Love the pumpkin. Especially fond of your next arrangement with its beautiful colors. That white phlox is nice.
Thank you, Susie. I’m enjoying these last days of my garden. Frost expected on Friday– alas, time marches on.
Fabulous shots.
Thank you, Fi!
Fabulous celebration of autumn, Eliza. Love your pumpkin story… nature’s gifts!
Thank you, Jane!
Both arrangements are lovely as always! 🙂 The grapes in the grape vase are perfect! I like the New England asters too…I don’t see them around here.
Has Bunny stopped playing with your plants yet? I wish my kitties would! They almost tipped over my vase a couple times already and I just caught them excavating in my morning glories! 😀
Thank you, Joanna! I, too, don’t see a lot of NE Aster in the wild here, but more Heart-leaved, White Wood, Tall White, NY and Calico asters. That’s a lot! Hybridized NE Asters are more often seen in gardens around here. I love them all and so do the bees. 🙂
Bengals have a reputation for being mischievous. I guess yours are living up to that rep!
Re: Bunny She had become such a biting/scratching terror that I re-homed her about a month ago as a barn cat. Her new owner reports that she is thriving, which is a relief. Some cats just aren’t meant to be domesticated, I guess. The same woman led me to adopt a 5-yr. female tiger, Annie, who is an absolute sweetheart and we are ALL so much happier!
Nature’s generosity is indeed amazing. I often think those volunteers, who come up with no assistance on our part other than letting the seeds fall somewhere, produce some of the best fruit/vegetables. Your arrangements are gorgeous, as always.
Thank you, Robin. Nature’s bounty is a beautiful thing!
Love those autumny hues in the first vase, perfect pumpkin accompaniment
Thank you, Karina!
Beautiful flowers as always. These ones really got me in the mood for fall 🙂 How great with the surprise pumpkins !! Good for you!
Thank you, Maria! I love good surprises. 🙂 I saw the vines growing, but the weeds were so thick I couldn’t see if they were fruiting, then as things began to die back, there they were- yay!
That is so wonderful! Love surprises like that!
Love the colors !
Thank you, Harold! We’re heading into peak foliage season the next couple of weeks. It’s shaping up to be a good year for it!
Loved everything about the first photo, especially your new pumpkin patch!😁
Thank you! 🙂
Enjoying your photos and words and then I get thinking about all the things we’ve used Mason jars for. Soon I am reading a fascinating Wikipedia account of Mason jars!!
Hehe, Mason jars are great, aren’t they? My kids use them as drinking glasses. They are even making them now with handles!
Thanks for stopping by, Gary.
So creative to include those gorgeous grapes in the arrangement, Eliza. Love the pumpkin story, too; finding what the earth created for you.
Thank you, Jet. A bit like a scavenger hunt. 🙂
What a nice surprise … trash to treasure!
Indeed, it was. Thanks, Denise!
How unfortunate that the grapes get wasted. Someone else used muscadines, which I am not familiar with. I know Concord grapes, but would not have any to spare. They make such excellent grape juice.
My spouse is going to try adding some to his next batch of kombucha. We’ll see how it comes out.
I’m delighted Mother Nature sent you a timely pumpkin treat – she no doubt played a mysterious hand in rearranging the kitties and their humans so well.
Thank you, Susan. She is good to us. 🙂
Nature lover …
🙂 That I am!