How to Style Mums for Fall — 11 Creative Ways to Display This Seasonal Flower

Nothing says fall quite like a selection of vibrant and welcoming mums in your front yard. Chrysanthemums have become synonymous with the season, and these colorful, bushy blooms can really brighten your porch as the weather gets gloomier and the nights draw in. The question is, how should they be styled for the most stunning display?

Planters are the simplest landscaping idea to spotlight a colorful arrangement of mums, but thinking outside the box — er, planter — can pay dividends. If you're looking for a creative way to bring this fall flower to life, windowboxes or wicker baskets are equally stylish vessels. They also pair well with pumpkins for a special nod to the season. We've rustled up a few ideas that are sure to inspire you to get the gardening gloves on this weekend.

1. Line Your Steps With a Fall-Themed Palette of Mums

This time of year, porch decor ideas don't get better than the classic pairing of pumpkins and mums. To usher in the spooky season, consider planters of mums alongside a selection of heritage pumpkins and use them to line the path to your door. It's especially effective if you have steps, too, as demonstrated by the entry to this beautiful Brooklyn brownstone above.

2. Style Mums in a Window Box

For a warm welcome to your home, consider this window box idea that combines mums with other winter flowering foliage and some decorative pumpkins. Stick to a color theme and weave plenty of greenery around your blooms to balance the brighter shades of your mum. We love how this dynamic, layered display brings a vibrant touch to an otherwise neutral facade.

3. Contrast Mums With Dark Foliage

The beauty of mums is their range of colors, including paler tones, which match nicely with deeper-hued foliage. "Elevate your fall display with a dramatic contrast like pale pink mums against bold, moody dark foliage," says plant expert Linda Vater for Southern Living® Plant Collection. "Juliet® Cleyera provides a lush, variegated green backdrop and evergreen structure, while Purple Pixie® Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum adds vibrant, weeping, deep purple foliage and a contrasting texture. Pale pink mums introduce a pop of soft color and a seasonal flair that plays delicately with the trilobed leaves of sweet potato vine."

4. Pair With Cabbages for a Seasonal Look

For an outdoor fall decor idea that's sure to add extra curb appeal, consider pairing mums with purple ornamental cabbages. It feels so seasonal, just like you're bringing in the harvest (especially with a few pumpkins thrown in for good measure). Make a trio of cabbages the centerpiece of your planter, and build around with orange-hued mums for an eye-catching display.

5. Use Mums in a Tri-Color Arrangement

What's better than one shade of vibrant mums in your front yard? Three shades of vibrant mums, of course! Use a trio of colorful chrysanths in one planter to bring extra color to your container garden, and consider picking tones that compliment your front door color for a more harmonious scheme.

6. Style a Bunch of Mums in a Basket

As an alternative to a seasonal door wreath, try this clever wicker basket idea using cut stems of chrysanths. "I lean more towards a cottagecore aesthetic, so I think the hanging basket is a lovely alternative to more traditional ways of displaying florals on a front porch. I think it adds a whimsical element that is just so darling," says McKenna Barry who designed the space above. "I sourced my basket from a Ukrainian artist on Etsy called GalaBasketShop, used fresh flowers from Trader Joe’s, and upgraded a simple Command Hook with some Rub-n-Buff to give it an antique look."

To keep the flowers fresh, Mckenna uses a gallon Ziplock bag, available from Amazon, filled with water inside the basket. "However, faux or dried flowers would look just as lovely," she says. We think it's probably the best door wreath alternative we've seen.

7. Or Place a Planter of Mums in a Burlap Sack

Hark to harvest season by placing your planter of mums in a burlap sack. The beige tone allows your colorful flowers to sing, and it looks so appropriate for autumn. (They work well as a fall decor idea inside the home, too!). We love this clever burlap container from Amazon which comes with a built-in liner to make it easy to water your blooms without damaging the sack.

8. Arrange Bright Mums in Hanging Baskets for a Warm Welcome

Hanging baskets might not be your first thought for fall, but mums are one of the best flowers for hanging baskets this time of year. Use wicker options to flank your front door and fill them with bright blooms for a warm welcome every time you return home.

9. Create a Cascade of Mums by Trailing Them

Mums aren't typically considered a trailing plant, but it's easy enough to train certain varieties so they cascade down your hanging basket or window box. This clever gardening technique adds depth and dimension to your planters, especially with variated colors, as pictured above. It's a one-way ticket to boosting your home's curb appeal.

10. Style Mums in Novelty Halloween Planters

If you want to make a nod to everyone's favorite fall holiday, look for some novelty Halloween decorating ideas to display your chrysanthemums. We love how playful these orange and yellow mums look inside these Jack-o-Lantern planters, and the cauldron looks hauntingly stylish, too.

11. Place Cut Stems in a Pumpkin Planter

For a more elaborate Halloween idea, you could also try making a pumpkin planter. All you need for this DIY is a pumpkin and a pot of mums. Simply take the top off the pumpkin as you would for carving, then slot your pot of mums inside. You could go for a cut-out effect as seen above if you're feeling extra crafty, or for a more dynamic arrangement you can add cut stems to a block of floral foam soaked in water.

However you decide your mums this fall, be it classicly and cool or something a bit spooky, they're guaranteed to make a warm and welcoming addition to your front yard.