Pumpkin Bouquets

Nothing perfect, nothing store-bought — just nature arranged by whoever happened to show up

Fall in Muskoka isn’t a season you watch — it’s something you walk through. The air bites a little in the morning, coffee hits better, and the fog rolls off the lake like smoke from a slow fire. The trees are loud, burning themselves out in colour before the silence of winter.

This time of year, I start seeing beauty in the scraps — the pinecones underfoot, the brittle leaves that cling to your boots, the smell of wet cedar. It’s earthy, imperfect, and real. That’s the kind of aesthetic that belongs inside too.

So we tried something simple — a pumpkin bouquet. Nothing fancy. Just a pumpkin, a knife, and whatever nature gives up along the trail. Carve it, scoop it, stuff it with whatever looks good — twigs, moss, dried flowers, a few stubborn leaves. The good stuff always comes from outside anyway.

What You’ll Need

A pumpkin — any size, doesn’t matter.
A knife, a spoon, maybe a little patience.
And the good stuff — the kind you find, not buy. Go for a walk. Keep your eyes open for what the woods are giving up this week: pinecones, red leaves, bits of moss, a twist of dried fern.

Step 1: Pick Your Pumpkin
Grab one that fits where you want it to live. A small one for the kitchen table, a big one for the porch. Doesn’t need to be perfect — just solid and willing.

Step 2: Gather What’s Out There
Hit your favourite trail. Fill your pockets with whatever catches your eye. Fallen leaves, cones, bark — things that look like the season feels. Take the kids, or don’t. Either way, you’ll end up seeing fall a little closer.

Step 3: Cut and Clean
Back home, lop the top off and scoop out the guts. The smell hits first — that raw, earthy scent that only shows up in October. You can carve something into it if you want, or leave it plain. Simpler’s often better.

Step 4: Build Your Bouquet
Now for the fun part. Start layering what you found. A few leaves here, a pine branch there. Let it look a little wild — that’s the point. Maybe toss in some mums if you’ve got them, just to throw colour against the orange.