For some reason, I was late to the pampas grass party and I’m not sure why. I guess I had my sights on all things light fixtures. When I noticed the gorgeous feathery plumes in neutral colors I was obsessed. I realized interior designers weren’t the only ones decorating with it. It seemed like everyone was using pampas grass decor to spruce up their homes, storefronts, and even their weddings.
The grass is so beautiful and ethereal and I knew I had to get in on the action. I decided to fill a vase to use as a dining table centerpiece. Honestly, I think it turned out great. *Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. More details are at the bottom of this post.
I’m not a flower arrangement type of girl. I like floral arrangements but I’ve never been an expert at making them. To my surprise, this was a really easy project that came together quickly. The photo above is the pampas grass vase I created.
Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full details are at the bottom of the post.
Items Needed for Your Pampas Grass Vase
- Large Vase or Small Vase (depending on the look you’re going for)
- Bundle of Pampas Grass
Pampas grass – its scientific name is cortaderia selloana. The ornamental grass can displace native plants and destroy their habitats and the blade-like leaves can cause physical harm to the birds who feed off of it. Oh gosh! I didn’t realize it was an invasive weed, I just thought it was beautiful. I checked and faux pampas grass is available on the market too. (In this post we’ll only be referring to the natural pampas grass.)
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Where to Find Pampas Grass
Amazon and Etsy are my favorite online places to find ornamental grass.
Pampas Grass on Amazon
This is the grass that I chose from Amazon. It comes in several heights and is bundled in a pack of 80 pieces. The general height is 17 1/2″ tall. The photo at the top of this post is the actual bundle that I received. My vase is 12″ tall so that can be a good gauge for you to decide what you need.
Pampas Grass on Etsy
Here is a 92-piece, neutral color pampas grass bundle from Etsy. Isn’t it beautiful? This set measures around 17″ tall and includes white pampas along with several shades of golden wheat.
The Sunny Dot Store, which sells the grass above offers bundles in a variety of colors and sizes. Here is a nice guide from the store on what to do with the ornamental grass once you receive it. I’ll go into more detail below.
Where to Find Ceramic Vases
Target
I bought my vase (photo at top of post) at Target from the Hearth and Hand Collection (Joanna Gaines – Magnolia). You probably can’t tell from the photos but it’s a big vase, it’s heavy, like stoneware or cement and measures 12″ tall.
Etsy
These vases are handmade by an artist on Etsy. They’ve got this neat faux-leather strap which would pair nicely with the natural texture of the pampas grass. The large vase measures approximately 11″ tall, the medium is 6″ and the small vase is 3.5″ tall.
Here’s a small vase from Etsy -pampas grass not included. It’s white with a grey tint and measures 7-8″ tall and 5-6″ wide. It’s the perfect size for a side table in the living room or as the centerpiece at a small table.
You’re likely to find a ceramic vase at several other stores including World Market, Pottery Barn, Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
Check out my TikTok Video on How to Decorate Your Vase with Pampas Grass
Prepare The Pampas Grass
Here is a still shot of a video I took. You can see that the grass arrives in a long, narrow box. In order to get the fluffy texture, a few easy steps are required.
Take the bundle out of the package and remove the wrapping. Go outside because this process can get quite messy. Hold the bundle by the stems and give it a shake to remove all the extra fluff.
After shaking out the grass, lay it out in the sun, separating the pieces. Sunshine will make the pampas grass expand and fluff out. I’ve read conflicting directions but basically, you’ll need to lay the grass out in the sunshine anywhere from 2 to 24 hours.
I laid mine on this pallet I had at home. The next morning the pampas grass was fluffed out and beautiful.
Quick note – if you don’t have access to sunlight in your living space, you can fluff your pampas grass by using a hair dryer. Use a low heat/low power setting and hold the hair dryer in the direction of the pampas grass. Be sure not to get too close so you don’t blow the fluff off.
Here’s another still shot from the video showing my pampas grass after letting it sit in the sun.
Arrange the Pampas Grass
I’m not going to tell you I’m an expert at arranging pampas grass but it was pretty easy to figure out.
The width of the stems and the width of the mouth of the vase were about the same size so I took a twist tie and tied the stems together.
My basic strategy was to surround the tall thin stalks with the fluffy stalks. I wanted to make the thin stalks the tallest part of the arrangement. Of course, there are different ways to arrange pampas grass and the best thing is, it’s very forgiving.
Once I had the look I was going for, I took hair spray and lightly coated every stalk to keep things in place and to keep the arrangement from shedding. That’s it, that’s all there is to decorating your vase with pampas grass. I told you it was simple.
There are all kinds of ways to decorate with pampas grass.
Other Pampas Grass Decor Ideas
Floor Vase
Pampas grass comes in large stalks too. Check out this floor vase filled with the ornamental grass. It brings in such a natural element to this living space.
Pampas Grass Wreath
I love the look of a pampas grass wreath. This would be beautiful over a fireplace or decorating a door. So elegant!
Christmas Tree
This 9′ pampas grass Christmas tree was created by Elari Events. Pretty special isn’t it? If making one of these beauties is a little more than you think you could do, you could decorate a regular Christmas tree and add sprigs of pampas grass throughout.
Whichever way you decide to decorate with pampas grass, you can’t fail.
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Don’t forget to check out these great articles from the blog:
How To Create a Basket Wall (Easy DIY Tutorial)
How to Clean Your Dirty Wicker Baskets – 3 Best Methods
Creative Basket Decor Ideas to Make Your Home Fabulous
How To Stencil A Tile Table
Disclosure: Please note that some links in this post are affiliate links. At NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, I will earn a small commission on any purchases made.