In this useful video demonstration, Tom Bowling AIFD PFCI is sharing some autumn splendor with the Vibrant Harvest permanent botanical collection from Pioneer Imports & Wholesale. This is the time of year when the leaves begin to change, the heat begins to wane, and the colors get stronger than ever. This is the mood that Tom is working to capture with an innovative autumn permanent botanical arrangement. 

Tom starts with the Birch planter from Pioneer – an earthy design perfect for fall. You can see how he has already prepared this piece with his dry foam, working a little bit below the lip line of the container so that the mechanics are easier to cover. 

But what is interesting about this preparation is the moss. When we think of autumn colors, we tend to visualize those yellows and reds and vibrant oranges, sometimes sprinkled in with a little bit of purple or other dusk colors. But rarely do we think of pink into the autumn season. Alongside the green moss, Tom has placed a bit of reindeer moss in a beautiful rose hue. It offers a touch of pink without the vivid springtime vibe, a richer tone that goes with those autumn color harmonies. 

Wheat is a true icon of the autumn season, so Tom's first element is a spray of artificial wheat. He has taken a bundle and secured it together with floral tape, then laid it across the container horizontally. He secures this in place by taking some stem left over from a previous project and bends it into a hairpin shape. He pins the artificial wheat into place and repeats the process with another bit of stem. He crosses these two to create tension for a secure hold. 

Once the wheat is secure, he opens the bundle by bending some pieces upward. He mentions that this is one of the things he loves about permanent botanical materials – you can manipulate them so easily to get the look you want. 

The look he is achieving here is a strong diagonal line. Line draws the eye from one location in a composition to another, and this diagonal line will generate energy throughout the piece. Vertical lines tend to create a sense of stability like buildings while horizonal lines are a line of rest. Diagonal captures more of a sense of undecided excitement. 

Silk dusty miller is next. Tom mentions that when you look at the Pioneer catalog, there are so many wholesale silk dusty miller varieties available so you can always choose the one that works best for you. He trims some pieces away from the spray to get more placements. He inserts one bundle, then brings some of the individual pieces to the opposite side.

Miniature ears of artificial corn offer a whimsical novelty look, a great seasonal selection for this arrangement. Tom places these alongside the silk dusty miller, opposite of the artificial wheat. 

You can see how Tom is starting at the base of the design rather than working down from the top. This helps him achieve the striking sense of balance you can see developing here – the artificial wheat on one side, the weight of the artificial mini corn on the other. He'll continue building on this balance as he works. 

Artificial berries are next, offering great color and texture. He nestles these next to the permanent botanical wheat. He likes how you can still see some of that pink moss here. Pink is a derivative of red, so it works wonderfully alongside those orange permanent berries. Oranges and pinks work great together here.

Tom trims some foliage away from the artificial berries, then makes those insertions on the other side of the permanent wheat for balance. He follows with more artificial berries to bring that color and texture across the composition. Now the berries create a line bisecting the arrangement. With the silk wheat, this creates a sort of crisscrossed pattern for tremendous visual impact.

A dramatic silk dinner plate dahlia is nestled alongside the artificial wheat tufts. Tom places this flat, which allows the eye to peer into the design rather than stopping. 

Silk marigolds in a matching deep red are placed in the corner opposite the silk dinnerplate dahlia – again continuing the crisscrossed visual balance. 

Tom asks: can you stop here? He says of course you can. You can stop at any price point from here on out because the composition is complete in the sense that it effectively tells the story that he wants it to tell. 

But at the same time, there is always more you can do. Tom sorts through a collection of Vibrant Harvest silk flowers that would work well here. He showcases the deep yellow peonies, the bold blue silk ranunculus, the vibrant ginger silk cabbage rose. You can see that Bountiful Harvest is a very harmonious collection where everything plays well together. 

Tom hesitates at the silk heather fern bush and decides to add some. He selects this option because of the reddish tips, coordinating with the silk marigolds and dinner plate dahlia. These silk heather insertions are whimsical, playful, and create a powerful sense of movement that brings the eye up and out of the design so that it's not so heavy at the base level. 

Now he goes back to that silk cabbage rose in bright ginger. He's doing this because those artificial autumn berries are down in the bottom, and he wants to anchor that color a little more centered into the composition. He places these silk cabbage roses high in the design among the permanent heather. 

And the composition is complete! Tom rotates the container so that you can see that beautiful balance, the color harmonies, and the fascinating interplay between each element. You can find the Bountiful Harvest collection available within the Pioneer Imports & Wholesale catalog – a collection that contains everything you need to create stunning autumn designs like this one.  

Shop the complete Vibrant Harvest Collection here.