Fall in St. Louis brings a bounty of natural treasures perfect for home decorating. Walking through Forest Park or your own backyard, you’ll find beautiful branches, seedpods, and other natural elements that can transform your home with seasonal charm.
Creating your own arrangements from foraged materials connects you with nature while saving money on store-bought decorations.
1. Doorway Greeting With Dogwood Branches
Red dogwood branches create stunning entryway displays that welcome guests with vibrant color. Gather several branches of varying heights and arrange them in a tall floor vase near your front door.
The bright red stems stand out beautifully against neutral walls and furniture. For extra impact, mix in some locally found cattails or dried grasses from prairie areas around St. Louis County.
2. Maple Leaf Garland For Mantels
Nothing says fall like the fiery colors of maple leaves that blanket Forest Park each autumn. Collect freshly fallen leaves in peak color, press them between heavy books for a few days, then string them together with clear fishing line.
Drape your handmade garland across mantels, doorways, or stair railings for an instant seasonal upgrade. Local sugar maples offer especially vibrant oranges and reds that capture St. Louis autumn perfectly.
3. Sweetgum Ball Centerpieces
Those spiky sweetgum balls that crunch underfoot throughout Tower Grove Park make surprisingly elegant table decorations. Gather them in various sizes, spray paint some gold or copper, and leave others natural.
Arrange them in a shallow wooden bowl with pinecones and acorns collected from local parks. The textural contrast between smooth and spiky elements creates visual interest that draws guests’ eyes to your dining table.
4. Osage Orange Display For Shelves
The bright green, brain-like Osage oranges (hedge apples) found along the Katy Trail create conversation-starting shelf displays. Their unusual texture and chartreuse color pop against fall’s traditional reds and oranges.
Place them in a vintage wooden box or antique metal container alongside some twisted wild grapevines. Many St. Louis gardeners appreciate these curious fruits not just for decoration but for their rumored ability to repel spiders—a welcome bonus during fall spider season!
5. Hickory Branch Wall Hanging
Fallen hickory branches with their distinctive bark make striking wall art for autumn. Find a Y-shaped branch in Castlewood State Park or along the Meramec River, clean it thoroughly, and hang it horizontally on your wall.
Dangle small gourds, dried flowers from summer gardens, or colorful ribbons from the branches. The natural curves and textures of hickory create a rustic focal point that brings the Missouri woodland feeling indoors during chilly fall evenings.
6. Milkweed Pod Fairy Lights
After monarch butterflies have finished with milkweed plants, the dried seedpods become magical decorations. Collect pods from prairie areas in Shaw Nature Reserve, carefully remove the seeds (save them for spring planting!), and poke tiny holes in each pod.
Thread a string of battery-operated fairy lights through the pods. The warm glow shining through creates an enchanted atmosphere perfect for fall evenings. Hang your creation over dining areas or in cozy reading nooks.
7. Sycamore Bark Vase Wraps
Sycamore trees along the Mississippi riverfront shed fascinating patches of bark in fall. These puzzle-like pieces with their camouflage pattern add instant texture to simple glass vases.
Collect several bark pieces and secure them around plain cylindrical vases with raffia or jute twine. Fill with branches of local black cherry or wild plum with their colorful leaves still attached. The contrast between smooth glass and rough bark epitomizes fall’s rustic elegance.
8. Acorn Cap Candle Holders
Oak trees throughout Tower Grove and Forest Park drop thousands of acorns each fall. Collect the caps (without the nuts) and glue them in overlapping patterns around small glass votives or tea light holders.
The natural pattern creates a scaly, almost pinecone-like texture that looks stunning when candlelight flickers through. Group several together on a wooden tray with some Missouri river stones for a centerpiece that brings woodland charm to evening gatherings.
9. Persimmon Branch Calendar
Wild persimmon trees in rural St. Louis County offer branches with distinctive blocky bark and sometimes lingering orange fruits. Cut a straight section about three feet long and mount it horizontally above a desk or in a hallway.
Use small clothespins to attach seasonal photos, fall greeting cards, or nature-inspired artwork. The persimmon’s unique texture provides a natural frame for rotating seasonal displays. Many local gardeners consider this a living calendar that changes with each gathering or family event.