How to Decorate With Dried Grass

Dried grass adds a touch of nature to your home.

Decorating with dried grass is one of the many ways to personalize your living space. Using dried grass for attractive arrangements has an advantage over using fresh flower arrangements in that the dried grass lasts longer. In addition, you can use wild grasses or grow domesticated varieties in the yard, then dry them yourself for individualized decorations. Dried grass arrangements can be displayed in a number of ways, giving you even more latitude in your home décor.

Things You'll Need

• Floral spray paint
• Hairspray
• Ribbons
• Thumbtacks
• Containers
• Florist foam
• Rocks or sand

Instructions

1. Use natural color or dyed grass. You can buy colored dried grass at craft centers and nurseries. However, you can also buy floral spray paint that is designed for use on dried grasses. Spray the grass outdoors and let it dry before arranging or bundling it for display.

2. Dry your own ornamental or wild grasses. Cut them anytime throughout the growing season and bundle them loosely. Hang the bundles indoors, such as in a basement or garage, until they dry completely. Spray individual stalks of plumed grasses with inexpensive hairspray to keep them from shedding.

3. Bundle a handful of dried grass together and tie it near the end of the stems with colorful ribbon. Hang the bundle upside down on a wall with a thumbtack through the end of the ribbon. Make a design on the wall with several bundles.

4. Display dried grass in a container arrangement. Choose a container or containers that match the décor of the area where you want to display the dried grass. Vases should be rather heavy and opaque. In addition to a vase, you can use almost any container, such as a basket, an iron kettle or a ceramic pitcher. Driftwood with holes also makes a good container.

5. Cut a piece of florist foam to fit in the bottom of the container. If the dried grass arrangement will be very tall or top-heavy, place rocks or sand in the bottom before you put in the florist foam. Insert the bottom of the dried grass stems one by one into the foam. The foam allows you to position each stem at any angle you want, allowing you to make a fuller display. Trim the ends off the dried grass stems that will be around the edges of the arrangement so they fill in around the sides.

References

• Bittersweet; Dried Arrangements; Lisa Goss; 1981
• Learn2Grow; Using Ornamental Grasses; David Pippin