Marigold Polka Dot Pumpkins for a Fall Tablescape

Pumpkins decorated wiht marigolds on a workbench.

The marigolds in my garden have been blooming all season, and I wasn’t ready to let them go just yet, so I tucked fresh marigold blooms into little holes drilled in three orange pumpkins to create the sweetest polka-dot pattern. I’m joining a friend today to share pumpkin crafts, and this is what I came up with!

Because the flowers are fresh from the garden and not dried, these pumpkins aren’t meant to last all season. Depending on the weather, they may look their best for just a few hours, or they could last several days. Our weather turned cool right when I made them, and they still look fresh three days later. They’re perfect for a dinner party, a fall birthday, or Thanksgiving, when you want something beautiful for a special occasion. And the best part is how simple they are to make, with just a drill, a few pumpkins, and whatever marigolds you have blooming.

Supplies

Three sizes of pumpkins and a carry-all with marigolds.

Three orange pumpkins in small, medium, and large sizes
Fresh marigolds from the garden
A drill with a bit that matches the marigold stem thickness (test on the bottom of a pumpkin first)
Garden snips or scissors

Here’s how I made them

Drilling holes into a pumpkin to make a polka-dot marigild pumpkin.

Step-by-step instructions

Cut the marigolds
Plan your dot pattern. Marking spots first helps keep the spacing even, and you might use tighter spacing on the small pumpkin and wider on the large one.
Drill shallow holes, just deep enough to hold a stem.
Trim each stem short so the flower head sits right against the pumpkin skin, which is what creates the polka dot effect.
Press the stems into the holes.
Arrange the pumpkins on the table in a grouping.

Setting the table with polka-dot pumpkins

A tablescape with polka-dot pumpkins on galvanized cake stands.

A tablescape with polka-dot pumpkins on galvanized cake stands, plants in terracotta pots, plate with gold napkin.

A tablescape with polka-dot pumpkins on galvanized cake stands, plants in terracotta pots, brown plates with gold napkins, and a single marigold on the napkin.

Since this is a very casual tablescape, I skipped the tablecloth, rested the pumpkins on galvanized cake stands, and tucked in a little preserved moss. I used gold and brown glassware, dishes, and linen napkins.

I tucked in some plants in these pretty pots from Terrain. The whole thing is very simple, but special at the same time. The hydrangea backdrop always helps to create the drama!