As October is starting to remind me that Thanksgiving is around the corner, I’m focusing my fall decorating enthusiasm on the interiors of the house, buoyed by the bounty of the dahlias that especially love this time frame in the Cutting Garden.

And some roadside leaf foraging whose colors matched the dahlias so well I decided to dress up the salon mantel (sometimes we have to remind ourselves that the main fireplace in the house is not just for Christmas).

Gingko branches, with their large fruits and yellow edges, provided a green contrast to the otherwise golden and russet scene on the marble surface. It’s all a bit “flopsy topsy” but sometimes I love the look, especially in the fall, of a more casual arrangement…

with bittersweet swags for an additional detail.

Before leaving this main room in the house, I took advantage of the mild weather and some plants that were still happily blooming…and looking well, despite the recent wind storms. A bouquet of diminutive spinach fronds repeats the greens in the Italian settee’s fabric. I love the surprise detail that shows up in this particular delicate glass bud vase…the leaves’ red veins and stems form a perfect red focus in the curved area of the vase.

Sometimes we forget that pumpkins are such wonderful vehicles for fall floral arrangements. This year I was smitten with the luscious celadon shade that presents additional opportunities for horticultural selections. Here the shade works as a neutral for a bright combo of mums, sunflowers, and goldenrod in the library.

But this year, by a bit of serendipity, scattered around the property were spots of light orchid and soft purple hydrangeas, smoky pink dahlias, deep plum and azure blue salvia…so perfect to pair with celadon. The crowning glory for this arrangement is the begonia leaves with their soft celadon shades. I realize this is not very fall-ish but when Mother Nature speaks, it’s best to listen up!

And to come full circle, having started with the front courtyard urn’s pumpkin, I’m sharing an evening shot of this year’s Front Door decor…with the miniature Ginko standards showing off to their best as possible rain threatened.

Here’s to a color-filled fall…