The finished topiary can be placed beside your front door, displayed on a covered porch or used indoors as a large Halloween or Thanksgiving decoration. Change the colours, lettering and embellishments to coordinate with your own fall decorating style.
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What you need
6 plastic pumpkins
Craft glue or Hot glue
Fall Halloween embellishments
Tin can for base or larger pumpkin
Foam letters, cardstock or paint
Instructions
Give inexpensive plastic pumpkins a playful makeover with this easy DIY pumpkin topiary. Designed as a cheerful “THANKS” decoration, the stacked pumpkins create height and colour while adding a welcoming handmade touch to your fall porch.
This project is a clever way to transform lightweight Dollar Store pumpkins into seasonal decor that can be displayed for Halloween, Thanksgiving or throughout autumn. Each pumpkin holds one letter, but you can easily personalise the topiary with a shorter word such as FALL, BOO, HOME or HARVEST.
The pumpkins are arranged slightly off-centre to give the topiary its fun, whimsical shape. Finish the design with faux leaves, ribbon, flowers, berries or other autumn embellishments you already have in your craft cupboard.
Because plastic pumpkins are lightweight, make sure the base is properly weighted before displaying the topiary outdoors. Place it in a sheltered porch area to protect it from strong wind and rain.
For this Fall tutorial, you can take Dollar store pumpkins and turn them into a doorway topiary for your front porch. They are so easy to make and are very decorative for Halloween. You can use these inside or as outside decorations.
Instructions
Step 1: Choose Your Word
Begin by deciding what you would like your pumpkin topiary to say. This version spells THANKS, using one plastic pumpkin for each letter.
You could also adapt the project to spell a shorter seasonal word such as:
- FALL
- BOO
- HOME
- AUTUMN
- HARVEST
The number of pumpkins you need will depend on the word you choose.
Step 2: Prepare the Pumpkins
Remove any stickers, tags or loose plastic pieces from the pumpkins. Wipe each pumpkin clean so the glue, paint or decorative letters will adhere properly.
Before gluing anything together, arrange the pumpkins on a flat surface and experiment with the order. Turn each pumpkin so its best side faces forward.
Step 3: Create a Weighted Base
Plastic pumpkins are very lightweight, so your topiary will need a strong, stable base.
A large tin can, metal container, flowerpot or oversized plastic pumpkin can be used at the bottom. Fill the base with sand, gravel, stones or plaster of Paris to give the finished topiary enough weight to remain upright.
Allow plaster of Paris to dry completely before continuing.
If you plan to display the topiary outdoors, choose a heavy base and place it in a sheltered area away from strong wind and rain.
Step 4: Stack the Pumpkins
Place the first pumpkin securely onto the prepared base.
Add the remaining pumpkins one at a time, positioning each pumpkin slightly off-centre from the pumpkin below it. Alternating the direction of each pumpkin will create the playful, uneven shape shown in the finished topiary.
Once you are happy with the arrangement, secure each pumpkin using strong craft adhesive or hot glue.
Apply the glue where the pumpkins touch, press the pieces firmly together and allow the adhesive to set before adding the next pumpkin.
Continue stacking until all six pumpkins are attached.
Step 5: Add the Lettering
Add one letter to the front of each pumpkin to spell your chosen word.
You can use:
- Foam alphabet letters
- Wooden craft letters
- Cardstock letters
- Adhesive vinyl
- Letter stencils
- Acrylic paint
Make the letters large, bold and easy to read. Thick lettering helps balance the height and shape of the pumpkin topiary and makes the message visible from the street or pathway.
Arrange all of the letters before attaching them permanently to make sure they are centred and evenly spaced.
Step 6: Add Fall Embellishments
Decorate the spaces between the pumpkins with autumn leaves, berries, ribbon, raffia, small flowers, acorns or Halloween embellishments.
Tuck the decorations around the sides of the pumpkins rather than directly over the front so the lettering remains easy to see.
Secure each embellishment with glue, checking the topiary from several angles as you work.
Step 7: Finish and Display
Allow all glue and paint to dry completely before moving the topiary.
Place your finished plastic pumpkin topiary beside the front door, on a covered porch, in an entryway or beside a fireplace. For outdoor use, keep it under cover and check that the base is heavy enough to prevent it from tipping over.
This design can be easily customised with traditional orange pumpkins, farmhouse-style white pumpkins, metallic paint or colours that coordinate with your existing fall decorations.
Craft Tip: Hot glue can soften in very warm weather. For a topiary that will be displayed outdoors or stored for several seasons, reinforce the pumpkin joins with a strong weather-resistant craft adhesive.
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