It’s that time of year again; fall has arrived. The tomato vines have withered, darkness is falling steadily earlier and the holidays are rapidly approaching. Looking at the dying garden is enough to give anyone the doldrums, which means it may be time to decorate.

This doesn’t necessarily mean to redecorate the house, though. No, I’m thinking more in line with decorating the garden. I, like many gardeners, need color, light, and movement! Recently, we got a heavy duty steel (16 gauge) Tanami fire pit from Desert Steel. It’s durable and blends in nicely with the landscape, and over time will naturally patina to a rust color. (If you don’t like the appeal of rustic décor like this, you could opt for their, 16-guage stainless steel version, the Tanami SS fire pit, which never rusts, fades or chips.) Anyway, I remember when I ordered it, the website had all kinds of nature inspired garden art. Plus, Desert Steel is a family owned business, which I kind of love. It’s owned by the artist Eric and his father-in-law Richard, a welding enthusiast.

So I go to their website and the first thing that catches my eye is the Blueberry Pie Coneflower feeder pictured on the opening page. This couldn’t be more perfect! It’s a brilliant blue, mimics the liveliness of a real coneflower and, it will feed my feathered friends – perfect for this time of year when there’s less and less of nature’s bounty. Plus, its all-weather galvanized steel construction will ensure years of enjoyment. I think I need a couple, and for the upcoming holiday, Nana is getting the Fuchsia Hummingbird feeder.

Speaking of holidays, the next biggie is Halloween! Practically synonymous with Halloween are pumpkins. Guess what else Desert Steel makes? You got it, pumpkin luminaries! These will work to not only dress up the front porch for Halloween, but through Thanksgiving as well. There are a couple of sizes and colors, and I’m thinking that a trio of these in varying sizes and colors combined with some dried corn stalks and fall mums will beckon not only the trick-or-treaters, but their parents as well.

Again, as with the bird feeder, these pumpkin luminaries can be used for years to come. They won’t rust or corrode, are made from durable galvanized steel, and are 100% power coated inside and out.

I think I’ve got a good start on the fall decorating. I’ve also gotten a good start on my holiday shopping. In fact, I’ve even found myself a present. There’s a Prickly Pear Cactus that needs to come home to me but it should be my husband’s idea. I’ll just leave this on the desktop for him to “accidently” see”¦