Records of dried fruits date back as early as 1700 BC in Mesopotamia and were carried on as a staple throughout the middle east for centuries. During the reign of the Roman empire, garlands of dried fruit and popcorn first appeared during the festive celebration of Saturnalia, the predecessor of Christmas. Later, with the ability to import fruits from warmer climates across the globe, citrus and other tropical dried fruits became a status symbol for the elite. Today, dried fruits and pods are a favorite for seasonal decorating, and for good reason! Dried elements are a great way to incorporate nature into your home without the fear of them perishing before the season is over. And with proper care, you can reuse your dried fruits and pods year after year. There are limitless possibilities for incorporating them into your furnishings, and by the end of this blog, you are sure to be filled with inspiration!
Garland
Dried fruit, especially citrus, are excellent for garland-making. Fishing line, wire, thread or jute cord will all work as binding agents. If using a soft material such as thread or jute, you will need to puncture the fruit before you can thread it together. Make a small cut with a knife or poke a hole with a pen tip and thread your binding through with care not to tie it too tight and damage the fruit. Cinnamon sticks, apples and pine cones are all nice additions as well!
Pictured: Pinecones, orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon sticks
Table Spray
A dried fruit and pod filled table centerpiece could be just the flourishing your table is missing. We recommend starting with a base of sticks, branches or leaves. A small piece of wood or even cardboard would work as well. Once you have a base wired together at the desired length, you can begin filling in with your dried goods. Gourds, pinecones, pomegranate, artichokes, lotus pods, okra and sora pods are all great large focal points that help cover large portions of the base. Preserved oak leaves, salal, magnolia and eucalyptus are all wonderful fillers that will help give your spray bulk. Use wire or jute cord to make small bunches of the foliage and tie them onto your base. Glue or wire will be the best methods for fastening your dried pods and fruits. Smaller fruits and pods like orange and apple slices, bell gum and cyprus pods will be useful to fill any holes in your design. And for the finishing touch, a few stems of grains and grasses will make for a lovely festive fall time look.
Pictured: Magnolia, artichoke, spiral eucalyptus, pomegranate, quince, okra, gypsophila, quince
Bowl
A collection of assorted dried pods and fruit can be just the quick and easy finishing touch you’ve been looking for. Add to your existing bowl of found rocks and pods, or create a new collection to store and bring out year after year. A collection of gourds, pumpkin peppers and sugar pine cones will make for a lovely autumnal spread. A mix of pomegranate, quince and limes on a bed of cedar is perfect for holiday time. For a year round spread, try a bowl of whole split oranges or artichokes. It sure beats buying fresh produce each week while achieving the same look!
Pictured: Gourds, pine cones, cedar, pomegranates, limes, quince, whole oranges
Stemmed in a Vase
For ease and convenience, many of the pods and fruits we offer come pre-stemmed! This makes life much easier, especially when designing a vase arrangement. Chico choke, sora pods, lotus pods and pomegranate, to name a few, all work wonderfully with a few stems of foliage and flowers if desired. We recommend starting out with a few stems of leaves in a favorite vase to build up a base. Try cutting some oak leaves from the yard or using preserved materials like these yellow oak leaves. Next, place your pods. We chose chico chokes, mahogany pods and bell gum. Lastly, add any additional accent materials of your choosing. Nigella and tansy compliment the pods and oak leaves nicely while adding texture and color. If you are struggling to keep your stems in place, floral foam or chicken wire can be a useful tool to place in your vase beforehand.
Pictured: Oak leaves, tansy, nigella, chico choke, bell gum, mahogany pods
Wreath
Create your very own dried fruit and pod-filled wreath to cherish in your home for many seasons to come. Begin with a wreath base, either bare or with foliage, such as this oak wreath or this eucalyptus wreath. You could also spruce up an old wreath you already have or create your own base from stems in the yard. Fresh curly willow and pussy willow branches work very well for this. Next you will want to wire on your foliage followed by your fruits and pods. Smaller items, like the eucalyptus pods and straw flower heads in our example will have to be glued. If you don’t have a hot glue gun, just avoid items like this. Citrus, quince and apples wire very easily without the need for glue!
Pictured: pomegranate, lotus pods, quince slices, strawflower, salal, plumosa fern, pumpkin peppers, poppies, echinops
Hangdown
A simple hangdown is a quick and minimal way to add a bit of festive cheer to your home. A sturdy branch cut to size, jute cord and a few of your favorite flowers, fruits and pods are all you need. This option is very customizable and could be made to fit any nook or cranny in your home. Following the same principles mentioned in the garland section, you can string up oranges, limes, apples, pinecones or quince with ease. You also have the option of hanging full stems upside down by simply tying around the end of the stems and attaching to the branch, this option works well for artichokes, flowers, foliage, bell gum and many, many more!
Pictured: Magnolia, orange slices, poppies, apple slices
Bibliography:
Hoge, T. (2019, March 12). Since Ancient Times : Dried fruit favorites - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-02-27-fo-12046-story.html
TUBERS AND DRIED FRUIT MONTH -January 2024 - National Today. (2022, August 3). National Today. https://nationaltoday.com/tubers-and-dried-fruit-month/
The History of Garland. (2016, December 10). https://www.kpcnews.com/. Retrieved August 14, 2023, from https://www.kpcnews.com/features/life/kpcnews/article_266ae77b-0805-584f-b7f5-1af20e1954d9.html