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There’s a growing movement toward sustainability in holiday decor — and honestly, we’ve been here since the beginning. When we started carrying boutique and home goods at Sunnyside, we centered around brands with purpose, pieces crafted to last a lifetime. Paired with the natural materials we carry at our garden center, and we built a philosophy rooted in intention.

Natural materials feel right for Minnesota homes. Our seasons shift dramatically, and it feels good display decor that reflects that. Fall and winter are about abundance, warmth, and connection — not overwrought plastic or mass-produced decoration. When spring arrives, we want to let go of what we’ve carried through the cold months. 

From Halloween through the December holidays, here are our favorite ways to decorate with natural materials — pieces that feel genuine, last year after year, and often find new purpose when the holiday ends.

Pumpkins: Versatility & Seasonal Charm

Pumpkins are the workhorses of fall decor. They work inside and outdoors, in every space, at every stage of the season.

• In your home: Style small pumpkins in a fruit bowl on your living room table or kitchen counter. Group them by color or size for a collected, intentional look. They bring autumn abundance without requiring any maintenance.
• On your entryway: A pumpkin or two on your entry table signals the season has arrived. A subtle but effective nod to fall.
• The front porch statement: A large display of stacked and grouped pumpkins creates drama and impact. This is where you mix sizes, colors, and specialty varieties. A well-arranged pumpkin display lasts from Halloween through Thanksgiving, evolving as you add and rearrange pieces.
• Bonus: Many specialty pumpkins are edible. Once you’re done enjoying them as decor, roast them for soup, purée them for pies, or use them in autumn cooking.

Straw Bales: Texture & Function

Straw bales are more than rustic decoration — they’re functional and charming.

• Layer with containers: Arrange straw bales beneath fall container gardens to create height variation and add texture. They anchor displays and make arrangements feel abundant and full.
• Seasonal seating: Stack straw bales to create cozy seating for bonfire gatherings. Cover with blankets or cushions for comfort. It’s simple, inviting, and genuine.
• Winter protection: When the ground freezes in November, use straw bales to help insulate your perennial beds. This functionality makes them doubly valuable — beautiful decor that becomes protective care.

Corn Stalks: Rustic Drama

Corn stalks bring authentic harvest energy to entryways and front doors.

• Grouped and leaned: Bundle a few stalks together and lean them against your door frame or porch corner. They create height and visual interest without requiring arrangement skills.
• Hung as accents: Hang corn cobs from doors, above windows, or from cabinet knobs. Very festive and cheerful.
• Wildlife bonus: When you’re ready to move on from fall decor, leave corn stalks out for wildlife. Birds and small creatures use them for food and shelter through winter. 

Houseplants: Year-Round Companionship

As outdoor gardening winds down, bringing plants indoors maintains your connection to growing things.

• Green warmth: Houseplants add warmth to your space in a way few other decor items can. They’re alive, they change, they require care — which many of us crave during darker months.
• Air quality & mood: Research shows that houseplants improve air quality and mood. They’re not just beautiful — they’re good for you. Make them part of your intentional seasonal decor with plants like the Norfolk Pine Tree.

Herbs: Functional & Aromatic

Herbs are decor with purpose — they’re beautiful, they smell amazing, and you can actually use them.

• Indoor accents: Group small herb plants on your kitchen windowsill or any sunny spot. Basil, rosemary, and thyme are attractive and accessible for cooking.
• Simmer pots: Fresh herbs simmered with spices, citrus, and cinnamon fill your home with seasonal aroma. Rosemary, sage, and thyme create that “cozy gathering” scent instantly.
• Cocktail & cooking prep: Fresh herbs on display double as ingredients. Reach for them while hosting or cooking. Beautiful and functional.

Grape Vine: Upcycled Elegance

Grape vine from your garden becomes something entirely new when you shape and repurpose it.

• Wreaths: Bend grape vine into wreath forms and layer in dried flowers, berries, or greenery. A grapevine wreath feels handmade and precious — because it is.
• Structured accents: Twist grape vine into interesting shapes and hang as wall art or window accents. The natural curves create visual movement.
• Indoor & outdoor: Grape vine works equally well on your front door or inside above a mantel. It brings your garden indoors in the most literal sense.

Dried Accents: Indoor & Outdoor Beauty

Dried materials — branches, flowers, grasses, seed pods — bring texture and interest to any space.

• Tucked into wreaths: Layer dried accents into your wreaths for depth and visual complexity. A wreath of branches with dried hydrangea, wheat, and berries feels curated and sophisticated.
• Arranged in vases: Fill any vase with dried branches, grasses, or flowers from your summer garden. No water needed, no maintenance required. They last for months.
• Bundled & displayed: Tie dried materials into loose bundles with twine or raffia. Lean them in corners, give as a gift, or hang them as wall accents. The rustic look feels intentional and collected.
• Specialty pieces: We carry dried seasonal accents — faux berries, seasonal botanicals, specialty materials — that pair beautifully with what you gather from your own garden.

Fresh Greens: The Bridge Between Seasons

Fresh evergreens arrives at the greenhouse in late October, arriving exactly when we’re ready to transition from fall to winter decor.

• Aromatic accents: Fresh greens smell incredible. The scent of evergreen, cedar, or pine instantly signals that holidays are near.
• Simmer pot staple: Fresh greens simmer beautifully with cranberries, cinnamon, and citrus. The aroma fills your home and is very cost effective.
• Seasonal styling: Drape fresh greens across mantels or consoles. Tie them with ribbon. Swag them above doorways. Fresh greens transition seamlessly from fall to winter decor because they’re true to both seasons.
• Tactile beauty: Fresh greens invite touch. Their texture, their slight movement, their aroma — they engage multiple senses in ways plastic never can.

Container Gardens: Creative & Customizable

Container gardens invite you to create something with your hands — there are no rules, just an invitation to gather materials you love and arrange them in a way that feels true to you.

• Outdoor containers: Fall calls for ornamental kale, grasses, mums, dried branches, and small pumpkins — bold color and texture at your entryway. Winter brings a complete swap: fresh greens, tree tops, and glittering ornaments. 
• Indoor arrangements: Create smaller-scale seasonal displays on tabletops and kitchen counters. Fall invites houseplants, blooms, and succulent pumpkins. Winter welcomes “freshie” arrangements, rosemary trees, and poinsettias. There are endless ways to arrange — no rules, just creativity.
• Gifts worth giving: A thoughtfully arranged container garden is personal, beautiful, and useful — the recipient enjoys it for weeks. Handmade feels precious in a way store-bought never quite does. We have specialty arrangements available through every season.

Wreaths: Timeless & Welcoming

A wreath is the ultimate natural decor — it says “welcome” without saying anything at all.

• Front door statement: A wreath above your door is the quintessential fall and winter gesture. It signals that your home is prepared for the season, that you’ve thought about the moment loved ones arrive.
• Indoor accents: Small wreaths indoors work equally well. Hang above a mantel, on a door, or go miniature around candles. They translate surpiringly well indoors for the holidays. 
• Evolution through seasons: A wreath can shift from fall to winter simply by swapping out accents or adding fresh greenery. One wreath base can last year round.

The Intention Behind Natural Decor

Decorating with natural materials isn’t just aesthetically pleasing — it’s a practice in intentionality. You’re choosing materials that reflect the actual season. You’re creating decor that will naturally degrade or transform, inviting you to release it when the time comes.

There’s something deeply satisfying about this cycle. You gather pumpkins in October, enjoy them through November, and compost them in December. You bring fresh greens into your home in late fall, enjoy their aroma and beauty through the holidays, and return them to the earth in January. It’s seasonal and true to the planet.

This is what makes decorating with natural materials feel so right for Minnesota — and for us at Sunnyside. We live in a place where seasons are dramatic and distinct. We’re proud of honor that with our selections.

Visit Sunnyside Gardens this fall and winter for pumpkins, straw bales, corn stalks, dried accents, fresh greens, houseplants, herbs, wreaths, mums, and all the natural materials you need to decorate intentionally. Our team can help you source materials from your own garden or find exactly what you’re looking for in-store.