At Blue Cottage Porch, we take pumpkins seriously. We inspect their color, their condition, their stem situation, and, perhaps most importantly, their shape. Because not all pumpkins bring the same energy to a porch.

In most places, fall porch decorating begins when the air turns crisp. In Houston, it begins when we are emotionally ready for fall—even if the afternoon forecast is still making us question whether October received the memo. That does not mean your porch cannot look beautifully autumnal. It just means Houston gardeners and porch decorators need to be a little strategic. The best fall plants for our area are the ones that either tolerate early-season warmth or wai

Happy National Dessert Day. At Blue Cottage Porch, we are firmly in the business of pumpkins on porches. We love the big orange ones, the pale white ones, the bumpy ones, the Cinderella pumpkins with their beautiful curves, and the tiny gourds that somehow make every display look more interesting. But every fall, pumpkins take on another important role: dessert.