If you are looking for outdoor pumpkin décor with big impact, look no further than this ombre stacked pumpkin topiary! Combine the traditional look of a potted topiary with the modern ombre trend for an eye-catching design.
Begin by grinding one end of your wooden dowel into a point. You can do this with a sander, grinder, or by whittling it with a knife. The pointed end will make stacking your pumpkin MUCH easier.
If your planter isn’t already filled with dirt, fill it up. This is a great way to use those planters whose flowers have already died out for the season. If any of your pumpkins have stems, knock them off with the rubber mallet.
Stack your pumpkins beginning with the large orange pumpkin on the bottom. Adjust the pumpkin and the dirt until the top of the pumpkin is as level as you can make it. Place the medium pumpkin on the orange pumpkin, and the white pumpkin on the very top. Ask a helper to hold the pumpkins in place.
Place the point of the dowel on the center of the white pumpkin and slowly and steadily, use the rubber mallet to pound the dowel down through all three pumpkins and into the dirt. Have your helper step away to make sure the pumpkins are secure.
If you have access to real grapevine, cut off some long pieces and wrap them around the base of the topiary. You could also use a garland of faux leaves, sprigs of red berries, or some dry grapevines to dress up your topiary.
Continue to wrap the grapevine around the topiary, tucking the ends between the pumpkins. Add as much grapevine as you like.
If you like the Mad in Crafts facebook page, you might have weighed in on my question deciding which of these three looks you liked best. I made up three of these ombre stacked topiaries for my brother-in-law’s rehearsal dinner. The dinner was at my in-law’s house, and my MIL had three empty pots in her driveway.
I wasn’t sure if I like the simple, modern look of the plain pumpkin topiary, the romantic, organic look of the third topiary, or the compromised middle look. My in-laws, and most of you readers, agreed that the third look was best. But if you make your own version, you can embellish it as much or as little as you like!
- a large planter or urn
- dirt
- large orange pumpkin
- medium light orange or yellow pumpkin
- small white pumpkin
- grapevine
- 1/2” wooden dowel
- grinder
- rubber mallet
- an extra set of hands
