Maple Leaves and Roses

Welcome November... already here with falling leaves and autumn's chill... 

The rich color of leaves turning inspired this autumnal arrangement of red roses, burgundy and orange mums, nandina berries, baby's breath and Japanese Maple leaves.  It is a combination of garden flowers, herbs and leaves from our yard along with a dozen red roses I bought.   

This arrangement is simple to create and has a casual elegance achieved through the combination of formal red roses and rustic garden clippings.  To assemble this piece, begin with a decorative porcelain container partially filled with water.  Then insert two small jars (also filled with water) into the container to provide structure for the arrangement.  Next clip the long stems off the roses and place them in the two jars, allowing them to spread out in all directions.  Arrange pieces of greenery around the roses and add the mums and berries.  Insert baby's breath and rosemary sprigs into the empty spaces.  Lastly, add green and yellow Japanese Maple leaves for texture and fall color.

In addition to providing a colorful centerpiece, this combination of flowers and leaves also has a fresh scent as the mix of sweet roses and herbal rosemary fills the air.