ShareThisBy NZONG XIONG
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Now that Halloween is over, throw away the jack-o'-lanterns, but don't toss out the pumpkins you haven't touched. Instead, keep them around longer _ through Thanksgiving _ as part of your fall decor.
"I think people think of pumpkins just for Halloween, but those are jack-o'-lanterns," says Kimberly Woertendyke-Alvarez, a floral designer at A Secret Garden in Clovis, Calif. "I think their beauty goes beyond that day."
Decorating with pumpkins and other squashes and gourds can help remind us of autumn's season of changing colors.
There are two types of squash: summer and winter. The orange pumpkins that are used during Halloween fall into the latter season. Summer squashes usually have thin skin and soft flesh. Winter squashes often have tougher skin and coarser flesh. Both squashes come in a variety of shapes, such as round or acorn, and lots of colors, such as orange, white or green. They also can have deep ridges or smooth skin.
Squash are members of the gourd family. According to the Web site of the American Gourd Society, based in Kokomo, Ind., there are three main types of gourds: cucurbita, which are colorful, ornamentals often seen in fall decor; lagenaria, which tend to be larger and used for crafts when dried; and luffas, which are known for their fibrous flesh and used as sponges.
Ornamental gourds come in a number of shapes, colors and textures. They can be shaped like an egg, orange or pear. Some gourds might be curved like a spoon; others can be covered with wartlike bumps.
With their wide variety of shapes, colors and textures, pumpkins, squashes and gourds can easily be used as centerpieces or added as accents to a home's decor.
"They're so versatile," Woertendyke-Alvarez says. "With pumpkins, I like the different colors. There are white ones and some with green stripes. And the gourds, some have bumpy textures. They're really interesting."
If you want to make sure the ingredients you put into your fall decor are around again next year, there are plenty of faux items available. From fake gourds to pumpkin wreaths, you can find lots of fall decor made of foam or other synthetic materials. Faux pumpkins, squashes and gourds are available in a variety of sizes at craft stores like Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics.
Don't hesitate to mix your real and faux pumpkins, squashes and gourds. People often won't notice the difference _ unless they pick them up and realize that some are heavier than others, Woertendyke-Alvarez says. "Both complement each other really well."
Utilizing baskets, buckets and bowls can be one of the easiest ways to adorn a table or countertop with pumpkins, squashes or gourds. You also can put squashes or gourds in vases, Woertendyke-Alvarez says.
"We've taken tall cylinder vases and filled them with gourds," she says. "You can fill them also with fall leaves and potpourri. You just need to make sure there is no moisture or they'll mold" if you use real ones. "Otherwise, they'll last you a good month or so."
Karen Sweeney of Clovis, Calif., has faux gourds and squashes as part of her centerpiece in her formal dining room. Real miniature pumpkins line the fireplace mantel in the family room, and small gourds sit on the edge of outside planters. Larger pumpkins also can be found in the backyard by the outdoor fireplace on hay bales, while the front door has a faux pumpkin garland, a real pumpkin and several pumpkins that have been carved to hold plants.
But like the season, the squashes and gourds don't stay forever.
"The next day, after Thanksgiving, I get rid of the pumpkins," Sweeney says. "The Dumpster is filled with pumpkins."
