Dressed to impress

WREATHS, POTS AND PUMPKINS CAN REALLY SMARTEN UP THE FRONT OF YOUR HOME IN THE AUTUMN, SAYS HANNAH STEPHENSON

- HANNAH STEPHENSON

Ornamental grasses look great in an autumnal door wreath

If your front door area looks lacklustre, it's time to warm it up with some welcoming autumn colours in rich burnt oranges, deep red accents, soft seedheads and textured foliage.

"The trick is choosing plants that provide colour, texture and structure, all while celebrating the richness of the season," says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres, the UK's largest family-owned garden centre group.

"Whether it's a neighbour calling by, trick-or-treaters arriving on a crisp October evening, or you are simply coming home with the last of the light, your display will lift the moment and is proof that even the smallest space can celebrate the magic of autumn."

It might include autumnal wreaths, berried plants, lanterns and other displays inspired by harvest time.

Here, experts offers the following tips:

"If you have quite a bit of space, the really simple but effective thing to use is chrysanthemum balls, which give you that Cape Cod-style because they come in gorgeous colours including bronzes, rusts, oranges and yellows," says Kate Haines, plant area manager at Squire's Garden Centres.

"Having those in different sizes and different colours, and just having those in pots, leading up a series of steps or on a porch, gives you autumn vibes."