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Fall is finally here, and at Chatfield Farms we take that seriously. In Colorado, fall is a very precarious time. While we have been having unusual heat this year, we have had hail, frost and snow as early as the first week of September in years past. Luckily, this fall season has been working in our favor.

Around the time Corn Maze begins in mid-September, we change our plant displays. In the fall, most people start thinking about pumpkins. Gardeners, on the other hand, start thinking about mums. There are mum varieties that are early blooming, mid blooming and late blooming. We usually use late blooming mum varieties here on the farm. These varieties take us into October. That way they are at their peak during Pumpkin Festival.

Decorating with mums doesn’t have to be the same every year. We try to incorporate different colors, heights, sizes and design elements to make our displays unique from year to year.

When designing with colors, keep in mind the color of your containers or your display location. If you have a white porch or a white pot, white mums might fade into the background. Play with monochromatic colors, complimentary colors and analogous colors. Analogous colors are three colors which sit next to each other on the color wheel, versus complimentary colors, which are opposite on the color wheel. Think about a group of oranges, reds and purples as opposed to purples and yellows.

When designing your mum displays, try incorporating different design elements and textures. Try using different sizes of mums to create interest. Add other textures such as flowering kales, leftover grasses from your summer pots or even a centerpiece of branches you might have cut from a tree or shrub. Did you grow corn in your veggie garden this year? Save the stalks for some beautiful height and texture.

And finally, add some additional elements such as gourds and pansies. Pansies and gourds can be used as “bridge” elements. This means that the colors in pansies and gourds can contain all the colors in your design. Do you love warty orange, green and yellow gourds? Me too! How about using white and purple pansies with a yellow center? Sounds great! Gourds and pansies can also be used as a dramatic color pop. Just make sure your pansies are plentiful and don’t get lost under a giant mum. Gourds can add fabulous color and texture but be sure to spray them with a deer repellant to discourage squirrels.

Don’t settle for the same old mums in a pot this year. Try something different by adding a new twist on an old fall favorite!

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