You may have already noticed these wheat-toned bouquets of grass appearing in the homes of your favorite Instagram accounts. With long slender stems and feathery, flourishing tufts up top, who would have thought that, of all the things we could stick in a vase, grass would be a top contender?
Also known by its scientific name, Cortaderia Selloana, the species of grass is a flowering plant that’s native to South America, including the Pampas region after which it is named. The plant was brought to other regions of the world like Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s where it was primarily used as an ornamental grass, but also to provide food for grazing livestock.
When dried, the flower head plumes make beautiful arrangements and other ornamental displays. The neutral colour along with the wild texture perfectly complements decor, adding a vintage feel that brings warmth and liveliness to otherwise dull spaces.
How to incorporate pampas grass into your home:
Use it as a common thread to tie old and new decor together
Picture: Pinterest
Eclectic decor combines miscellaneous elements together to bring a mixture of textures, time periods, styles, trends, and colors into one environment. Pampas grass has a soft, gentle look both in colour and texture, and with it’s new, modern resurgence and rustic flair, it’s the perfect way to tie in the old with the new.
Use it as an accent piece
Picture: Pinterest
Go for dramatic. The reeds of pampas plants grow quite tall (up to 4 metres), and can be placed in beautiful, large vases in foyers and living rooms. When untrimmed, the flourishing plumes have a very eye-catching effect that makes stark spaces look more interesting and complete.
Play with colour
Picture: Instagram.
Although neutral tones are most popular, pampas grass actually comes in a range of colours. While the more grassy, beige hues complement bohemian and rustic decor, take advantage of the vibrant shades too. From pink to purple plumes, the versatility works well in different settings. You can also use the grass to make a bold statement when incorporating it into a neutral room.
Mix and match
If you love having vases of flowers in your home, throwing in a few plumes of pampas grass is the perfect way to bulk up your arrangement and add variety as far as colour, shape, size and texture goes.
Bonus: Weddings and celebrations
Actress, Mandy Moore opted for the gentle touch that pampas grass offers at her bohemian wedding in November, 2018. Picture: Instagram.
Pampas grass is replacing the more traditional use of flowers at weddings. From bridal bouquets to centerpieces and even the decorative arches where couples say their “I do’s”, the feathery plumes in gentle hues perfectly blend with the romance of weddings.
Tips to maximize the life of pampas grass:
Picture: Instagram
1. Pampas grass is notorious for shedding seeds once it’s dried, therefore give the plumes a few shakes before bringing them indoors to avoid a mess.
2. The reeds you buy may be too tall, adjust them by trimming the stems using a pair of garden shears.
3. Display in a sturdy vase (especially if you opt to leave the reeds long) to avoid the possibility of the arrangement being knocked over, or being too top heavy.
4. Lastly, and this is the most important step, use a high-hold hairspray to generously spritz each plume. This helps secure any loose strands, keeping shedding at bay.
5. The dried grass keeps up its appearance for a long time so replacements will only need to take place if the feathery plumes start collecting dust and become difficult to properly clean.
Feature Image: BlurStyle
