Nothing says fall quite like the fabulous foliage. Well you don't have to take a drive north to appreciate it, you can bring the elements of the season right into your home.

“Autumn is probably the most textured season of all. People in the fall use things like fruit, gourds, berries, you have the foliage, just a lot of different textures playing against each other,” says George Vallo.

Vallo is co-founder and a teacher at the New York Studio of Floral Arts, and we stopped by one of his floral design classes to learn how to create spectacular seasonal arrangements.

First using a pumpkin as your base, just carve out the pumpkin and put in a cube of floral foam which you can find at any floral shop.

“You’re going to put your foliage in first and then you start putting in stems of flowers,” says Vallo. “And when you are doing floral design, it’s always important to remember to put the flowers in at an angle. You are always trying to build from the outside in.”

Keep filling in all the way around. Then finish off by adding some buds, pods or even some ornamental peppers which to add some rich texture.

If you don't want to use a pumpkin, before you grab a vase, there are plenty of things around the house that you may not realize can be beautiful for floral arrangements. You can use a teapot, a pitcher, a simple coffee mug or what about a colorful can of peaches.

“A great thing to do at autumn is to use things like fruit and vegetables and foliage in a centerpiece,” says Vallo. “And what you want to do is pick out the prettiest fruit at the supermarket, something that looks pretty and doesn't look bruised or damaged. And what you want to do is work with picks — stick them in the fruit and then start putting them in the centerpiece.”

For this you can use all kinds of fresh produce: apples, pomegranates, pears, figs, even Brussel sprouts.

And last, if you are looking to display loose flowers, even something you get at a local deli, a European style bouquet will guarantee a beautiful arrangement.

“You have to clean off all the greens, so that there are no greens on the flower,” says Vallo. “You take the first stem and then you add another stem from right to left and then turn it half way around. Take the next stem right to left and turn it around.”

Just keep adding, and you will know you've got it right if all the stems point outward. Then cut them down and drop them into a container, and you will even see how nicely the stems look at the bottom.

To learn more about upcoming floral design classes visit www.nyfloralstudio.com.

So if you love the very nature of autumn, these are some ideas you are sure to fall in love with.

- Jill Scott