Learn how to make an easy and beautiful fall garland with faux lamb’s ear and cotton bolls. This tutorial shows you how – along with helpful tips.
*This post was originally published in 2018, and features the dining room at our Sutton Place house. It’s been updated with brighter images, fresh links, and reorganized content. This is still one of my favorite fall projects!
When it comes to seasonal decor, I have a few favorite places to decorate. Number one is, of course, our front porch. Number two is my dining room table. Even though we don’t use the dining room all that often, I have a direct view from the kitchen, so I really do enjoy whatever centerpiece is there. This lamb’s ear fall garland centerpiece idea is loosely based on the eucalyptus garland I made last year. The process is a bit different since I used faux lamb’s ear for this garland, and the eucalyptus I previously used was fresh.
Gather Your Supplies
- faux lamb’s ear stems
- faux cotton boll stems
- florist wire: several pieces about 8 inches long
- mini fresh or faux pumpkins
- If you use fresh pumpkins, make sure to give them a bath first!
Wire The Lamb’s Ear Stems Together
So I could better gauge how long my garland should be, I assembled it right on my dining room table. I started by placing the lamb’s ear stems one after the other until I had my desired length. Alternate each piece so no stems are showing. One by one, I wired the lamb’s ear stems together. Note: If you don’t plan to move your centerpiece, it’s OK to skip the wire step. Simply nestle the lamb’s ear stems together.
Add Embellishments
Evenly place cotton bolls in and around the lamb’s ear. As a final touch, place fresh or faux mini white pumpkins on either side of the fall garland. Stagger the pumpkins so they naturally follow the line of the garland.
Lamb’s Ear Garland Tips
- If you can’t find a cotton boll garland, just use cotton boll stems. You can either nestle them into the greenery and let them be, or you can wire them in.
- This centerpiece idea can be made with any kind of greenery. If you have something on hand, give it a try. Also, the greenery doesn’t have to match. Mixing different types of faux greenery stems would add just as much interest and texture.
- Substitution ideas for the cotton bolls: Sunflowers, mums, gold or orange berries, mini faux gourds.
What looks good with lamb’s ear?
Almost anything looks good with lamb’s ear! It’s something that you can use across all seasons, and for many different decor projects. For the fall, I like to pair my fuzzy lamb’s ear with smooth mini pumpkins and round, furry cotton bolls. You can add incredible interest by varying the textures.
What is the fuzz on lamb’s ear?
The fuzz on lamb’s ear is supposed to resemble the soft feeling of a real lamb’s ear. The real plant has a fuzzy texture from hairs that are called trichomes. Fake plants have tiny fibers on them that are made to mimic the real plant.
Where can I display my lamb’s ear garland?
Display your fall garland wherever you add seasonal accessories. Use it on a wreath, place the garland on your table as a centerpiece, or use it to add flair to your mantle above your fireplace. This is a muted and classic faux plant that adds texture and personality wherever you place it.
Shop + Source
Lamb’s ear stem | Cotton boll stems | Striped table runner (similar) | Fabric on chairs | Hanging Lanterns | Botanical Prints | Glass hurricanes | Board and Batten | Chandelier | Paint Colors | Rug (similar)
GET FALL PRINTABLES!
Sign up to get a collection of free fall
printables and create custom art for
your home. Let’s celebrate autumn!
The Autumn Market
A collection of wonderful
fall decor items,
curated especially for you.
I had forgotten about this. thanks for reposting it!
Love the garland, and the seasonal changes use with it.
Always fun to see something new.
Love this idea and the look! Thank you for the inspiring posts, especially this one because you can use it anytime of year 🤗
That is very pretty! I love the suggestions for season switching too. I’m going to check out my lambs ear collection and see how this goes. Thank you!
Ann, what is the paint color on your dining room walls? Love your posts and recipes
Hi Pat…it’s Linwood Sands from Sherwin Williams. Thank you!
Ann, Just want you to know I read all your posts and look forward to each one. I seldom comment, but enjoy scrolling to the bottom of each post. Love your recipes too! Enjoy the holidays,
So, I’m a subscriber, read and enjoy all of your posts and printables, but never comment. I always enjoy reading them and trying many of them myself. This post is especially timely for me as when my daughter got married in September (and her floral decorator bailed and didn’t order any florals), we shopped hobby lobby and bought out all their lambs ear and eucalyptus garlands to use as a base to decorate her wedding tables. Now I have loads of these garlands to use in my home, and love your idea of keeping the greens the same and just changing out the fall decor to Christmas, Easter, etc. Thanks for all your lovely ideas.
So lovely, Ann. Very few people remember currently to use hurricanes, which take a table to more formal in a jiffy. Your instructions are clear and the photos help – as they always do from you. You know you are my friend across the border (Indiana to Ohio) and I always look forward to your posts!
Love your style!
I love your style. Thank you for all the wonderful ideas as well as resources. My informal dining table is complete however I will be doing my formal one with the lamb’s ear garland. An additional bonus is that I have fresh cotton bolls, right off the bushes, to use.
Yes there any way to preserve real lambs ears greenery from my garden? Is there a spray or fixative that can preserve it?
Thank you for your lovely decor ideas.
Cyndy Brooks
Love this idea!
I love the simplicity of this, Anne. It is beautiful in an understated way. I’m going to try to make an adaptation of it for my round dining table. I will also probably substitute the cotton as well and may use gourds or sunflowers or even pinecones. You have such beautiful ideas. Thanks for sharing!
Just lovely as always. I love your sense of style in furnishings and decor. To me your house and furnishing are timeless. This is a beautiful tablescape.
Love the Lamb’s Ear garland! A friend gave me some Lamb’s Ear a couple of summers ago. Being pretty new to gardening I wasn’t sure I could keep it alive, but it has done really well and they tell me it will spread. I know your Lamb’s Ear is faux, but this plant has to be one of my favorites. I love the soft green color. Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!💕🌸
Ann, you are one of my top two favorite blogs. I seldom write a comment, but I thoroughly enjoy your posts.
Thank you so much Janet!
Love your posts and ideas!!! You are so talented and I have copied so many of your ideas. I too can see my dining room table from my kitchen so one of my favorite places to decorate. You have a warm and beautiful home.
I love this! And by the way, I am one of those folks who rarely comments but, I read every word of each post. I wouldn’t want to miss a word of inspiration!
Thank you so much for taking the time to say hello!
You have the best taste in decorating that I have seen. I love the seasonal decorations because they are both beautiful and easy to replicate. I am all for decorating but want to be able to do it without stressing how it will look when I have finished it. I love your porch decorations. Your neighbours must be envious of your seasonal creations.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Marjorie
Wow! That is just beautiful. Love it so much.
You could have fooled me on the lambs ears! They looked so real. Very pretty.
Oh, lawd! We are on the same wavelength! I’m working on a cotton boll and lambs ear mantel! But I didn’t think to do the same on the dining room table!
We are blessed to have our children and grandchildren living near us. We know it won’t always be that way as two of our grandsons have already graduated from college and our granddaughter is getting close. We use our dining room every Friday for family night. All who can, eat dinner with us. I love my dining room table decorated but sometimes it’s a hassle to remove the decorations. But I’ll keep decorating anyway.😀 Yours is beautiful. You always make it sound so easy.
Ann, I love the garland table decoration. Unfortunately, with my grandkids being at my home several times a week and on Saturday sometimes having all five of them, my dining table is always cluttered with school bags, books and whatever! I tend to keep my decorations on a tray that can be removed when needed. I do get to decorate my island in the kitchen and that too is on a tray of some sort for easy removal when the kids want to eat, bake or just a place to draw and play games. Someday I will not hear the chatter and have all the paraphernalia that comes with them so I am enjoying while it lasts!
You always have such lovely things to show us! Thank you!
If I had to choose between a pretty centerpiece and my grandkids around the table…the grandkids would win every single time. Love your idea of using a tray!
This is a very simple, yet lovely, table centerpiece. I love it! You do such a beautiful job of showing just the right amount of restraint with wonderful results! I just love your blog:]
Love the lambs ear, it looks beautiful on your table, simple with a bit of rustic farm house.
Really love your blog ❤️
I always look forward to your email and truly appreciate your style and wonderful recipes! Thank You for brightening my day! I do try to find some of your decor in my own home! It’s not always comes out the same but it makes me smile and that to me is what counts! Bless you and your family
This is so pretty- I love it! I love lambs ear paired with anything! Thanks for sharing!:)
Your centerpiece is just perfect for that table. There has yet to be a decorating idea from you that I did not like. Although I do not have a formal dining room I do use a centerpiece on our kitchen table and will modify yours to work this area.
Happy Fall Ann and thank you for your inspiration 🍁
I love how you intertwined the garland lambs ear is one is one of my favorites. Always look fresh. And it pairs with so many different things.
I am always inspire d.
Thank you Ann
Ann, this is lovely. Lambs Ear is one of my favorites.