Once the flowers dry out and the leaves fall away, what’s left of your garden? How can you enjoy the fruits of your labor once the weather cools down? In this new series, we’re exploring ways you can make your hard-earned landscape last.
First up: do-it-yourself pampas grass decor!
Natural Pampas Grass Decoration
Pampas grass is an ornamental grass known for its fluffy plumes. In the late summer and early fall, these blooms grow tall above the plant’s emerald foliage.
Pampas plumes are popular additions to boho and desert-themed floral arrangements. But pre-dried stems are fairly expensive, especially if you’re getting a larger size.
Do you have pampas grass in your yard? Then, you can make your own pampas grass decor for a fraction of the retail cost!
Supplies Needed
To create your own pampas grass decor, you’ll need:
- A pampas grass plant with at least 4-5 plumes
- Pruning shears
- Gardening gloves
- Extra-strong hold hairspray
Steps to Making DIY Pampas Grass
Got all your supplies? Make sure the pampas grass you’re cutting is dry (i.e., it hasn’t rained that day).
1. Harvest the plumes
Wearing your gardening gloves, pick out at least 4 of the prettiest plumes on your pampas grass. Using sharp pruning shears, carefully cut each stem off the plant, close to the base.
2. Remove extra leaves
Extra leaves grow along the stem of each plume. With gloves on, peel back these extra leaves (as shown), being careful not to bend or damage the stem. You’ll know you’ve removed them all once the stem looks smooth like bamboo.
FGT Pro Tip: Do this outside or somewhere you can make a mess!
3. Spray them down
Spray down each plume and its stem with hairspray. The hairspray helps preserve the fluff, and it keeps the plumes’ seeds from dropping off as easily.
4. Let them dry
Spread out the plumes and place them somewhere they can dry for at least one week. You can hang them or place them upright, but avoid laying them directly on a table or against a wall. You don’t want to flatten the plumes’ feathery texture.
5. Fluff your plumes
Once dry, your pampas grass will be slightly duller in color. This is normal! Now you can fluff each plume to bring out the iconic pampas grass texture.
6. Spray with hairspray again
After fluffing, spray each plume again for good measure. This will lock in the plumes’ seeds and prevent a mess when you arrange them.
7. Cut and arrange as needed
Find your favorite vase (larger floor vases work great!) and use it to measure how short you should cut the pampas grass stems. You also don’t have to cut all the stems to the same length! Varying heights can add dimension to a pampas grass arrangement.
You may also use your pampas grass to make other types of decor, like a chic, all-season wreath.
8. Enjoy your newest natural decor
The best part about DIY projects is enjoying the finished work. And we’d love to see how you made your pampas grass last—tag us on Instagram (@fastgrowingtrees) or Facebook with the final product, or explore our profile to find more tips on all things plants.
Make Your Landscape Last—Looking Ahead
As we all head indoors for autumn, we’ll be creating more DIY garden crafts tutorials like this one. In the coming months, look out for helpful articles on:
- Pressed flowers
- Drying flowers (with or without silica gel)
- Flower printing
- Preserving evergreens (holiday garland, anyone?)
- And more!
If you have a fun DIY plant project you’d like us to cover (or one you’d like to share), shoot us an email at information@fastgrowingtrees.com. We’d love to hear from you!
