8 ways to embrace autumn

It can be hard to farewell summer, with the warmer weather, beach days and barbecue season coming to an end. Helping make the switch a little easier is the knowledge that every season has its own unique beauty to embrace.

Here are a few autumnal activities to get you inspired.

1. Start pickling and preserving

With the final glut of summer’s fruits and vegetables dug up, the question turns to what to do with them all. Immersing yourself in the world of pickling and preserving helps capture the tastes of summer so you can enjoy them throughout the year. Delicious items to pickle include zucchini, cucumber, carrots and onions while stone fruits and summer berries are perfect to preserve. Looking for some guidance? Take a look at our guide to fermenting food at home.

2. Plant tulip bulbs in time for spring

In Australia, March is generally a good time to buy up tulip bulbs and pop them in the fridge to allow them to cool for six to eight weeks. Come late May, start planting your bulbs in a random pattern for a beautiful springtime burst of colour. Just watch and wait! Here's our Autumn planting guide to get your started in the garden.

3. Make origami maple leaves

As the full cloak of autumn descends, we see deciduous leaves around us turning yellow, orange and red as they loosen their grip for winter. Echo this at home and make some simple origami maple leaves in crimson and rust. Fun for kids, pretty to hang and symbolic of the passing of time.

4. Immerse yourself in some autumn-inspired literature

Off all the seasons, autumn seems to be especially evocative for the literary minded. A visit to your local library should be one of your first stops this month. Spend a crisp weekend morning sipping tea and reveling in John Keats’ ‘To Autumn’ of 1820 or ‘As summer into autumn slips’ by Emily Dickinson. Feeling inspired? Try your hand at penning something of your own.

5. Take an afternoon cycle

Crunching leaves under tyre and basking in the warmth of an autumn afternoon, cycling is a magnificent way to spend the day on the weekend. Visit your state’s parks website for some scenic trail locations. If you'd prefer to stay indoors, our Live Better at Home program will keep your mind and body active with these fun and free activities.

6. Cook with the season

One way to shake off the blues of a summer farewell is, naturally, with food. Autumn brings with it a huge variety of seasonal goodness to invigorate your cooking. In March, look out for pumpkins, figs and apples, April is when we see mushrooms and chestnuts coming on board and May is a great time to enjoy Brussels sprouts, quinces and early season oranges. Get some cooking inspiration with our delicious collection of recipes.

7. Find inspiration indoors

The cooler weather sees us typically spending more time bundled up indoors. Use this transition as an opportunity to boost your cultural cachet with a visit to a local art exhibition, play or trip to the movies with a friend.

8. Fill your home with the smell of autumn

Another way to indulge the senses in autumn is to bring a little of the earthy smells of the season home. Try baking some banana bread, lighting a spiced orange autumn candle, setting out a dish of dried cloves, roasting some pumpkin or poaching peaches and nectarines with a good dash of cinnamon.