McKinney neighborhood goes all out for fall with outdoor decor

The deep porches are lined with pumpkins and chrysanthemums in McKinneys Tucker Hill neighborhood. Not-so-scary scarecrows smile. Rocking chairs and benches have fall-theme pillows.

In short, its a nostalgic view of a small town.

Its like living in the pages of Southern Living magazine, says Michelle Martin, who moved in six months ago.

Her familys home took first place in the developments Pumpkinville fall-decorating competition. Prizes also were given for Halloween decorations.

On her front steps, a crow-beaked scarecrow overlooks pumpkins, flowers and a basket of gourds. A barrel topped with gourds sports a sign Welcome to our porch. There are straw men and a handmade wreath on the door with colorful letters spelling fall.

The homeowner made the door decoration, but she says that most of the decor came from a stash shes been building for 15 years.

I just kind of brought it all out, she says.

More than half the 100 or so homes in the neighborhood have such seasonal decorations. In front of one house, theres an old wood wagon piled high with common orange pumpkins and more exotic pale green and white specimens.

Most of the homes decorations come from hobby and crafts stores, with a few handmade accents thrown in. McKinneys farmers market by the downtown square is a popular resource, for produce and for handmade figures and other decorations.

Tucker Hill is drawing onlookers for its fall decorations the way that some neighborhoods bring in visitors for Christmas displays, says Vicki Northcutt, the developments marketing director.

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McKinney neighborhood goes all out for fall with outdoor decor