In a Vegetable on Monday, Part Two. My gourd collection from last week was looking pretty good so I decided to add to the arrangement with an heirloom pumpkin for Halloween. Today is Halloween in the US, traditionally the time to carve a pumpkin into a Jack O Lantern then go door to door seeking chocolate (or that is how I think of it).
This is a Jarrahdale Pumpkin, totally non traditional and it hails from Australia. My father was an enormous fan of pumpkin carving so in his honor, I carve a pumpkin every Halloween. I decided to research this one a bit to see if it was edible – it is, and reportedly has sweet, melon like flesh perfect for pies. My husband is regionally famous for his pumpkin pies – so I read on to find that I should roast the pumpkin for 20-30 minutes if I wanted to save the flesh and then scoop out the flesh and continue with my ‘decorative use’.
Upon the completion of the short roasting time, the shell had changed color a bit and the flesh was slightly softer, but not cooked, so I chiseled it out with a serrate knife, being careful to use my not so nice knife in case it snapped. The pumpkin looked a bit like a crocodile so I carved a mean face into it. The flowers may offset the meaness.
Not so sure about the flesh, I just collected it and put in back in the oven to roast and set about arranging the flowers.
Starting in the front, the yellow flowers are Beach Sunflowers (Helianthus debilis) the coral star shaped flowers are Dwarf Red Ixora, with a bit of Asian Sword Fern. The red and green leafless stems are from a Firesticks Pencil Cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli), red and yellow flowers are Parrot Flower (Heliconia psittacorum), red bell shaped flowers are from Firecracker Plant (Russelia), the grey foliage is from Flapjack Kalanchoes and a leaf from Split Leaf Philodendron (Philodendron selloum) completes the arrangement. The flowers are in a glass I put into the pumpkin, there is also a tealight candle in there, but I have mixed feelings about lighting it.
About this time, I took the pumpkin out of the oven, let it cool, had a taste and discovered it it really good and does taste of sweet melon – unfortunately, after all that I ended up with 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree. Pumpkin bread, anyone?
Here is a much more traditional Jack O Lantern from years past, Happy Halloween!
The Shrub Queen 
Love the pumpkin vase♥
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Thank you!
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Happy Halloween! The grey pumpkin has a great color.
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Thank you, there are some crazy heirloom pumpkins.
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Good luck in your search for CHOCOLATE! I’d give you chocolate if you came to my door with a cleverly carved pumpkin filled with flowers.
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And you would probably have some Baci! Next year….
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Love your carved pumpkin with the mad hair!! 😀
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Thank you, Cathy that was my original idea – mad Pencil Cactus hair, I think I got carried away.
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Your pumpkin vignette looks fabulous. I admire your enterprise in carving the pumpkin – I have no doubt I’d cut off a digit or 2 if I tried that. The red Ixora sets off the color of the gray pumpkin beautifully and, with the other colorful blooms, makes your crocodile pumpkin much less sinister. Enjoy the holiday (with or without chocolate)!
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Thanks, Kris – my husband is missing half a finger so we are careful of our digits here! I had a frightening encounter with a pie pumpkin and finally had to get my husband to cut it! I think I am done with gourds/squash for the time being.
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Well done. I love the grayness of that heirloom pumpkin. Happy Halloween.
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Thank you, Happy Halloween to you, too.
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Marvelous arrangement and carving. Nicely done! Go Gators! 😉
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NO, NO, NO, I am a graduate of The University of Georgia, we do not like those Gators at all. Thank you and Happy Halloween.
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Oops, sorry – Go Bulldogs! ;-D
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Exactly! Thank you.
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🙂
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It’s a lovely arrangement and with that face carved in it does look like quite a wonderful mad hairstyle! 😉 I do admire you for hollowing out the pumpkin and carving a face… I get scared when I have to get out a big knife to deal with pumpkins and tend to stick to the softer butternuts for baking!
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Thank you, it was careful sawing for the pumpkin carving!
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I love your pumpkin and gourd display. Whst an unusual pumpkin, it looks stunning with the gorgeous flowers you selected. I hope you used your not so nice hands as well as your not so nice knife for carving. It would be a pity to spoil your best onres.
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Thank you, hands and knives all survived the gourds and squash.
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This is a fantastic display. I love you pumpkin vases, especially that wonderful Jarrahdale Pumpkin.
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Thank you, I just found another Jarrahdale for pie!
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