As lockdown eases and the rain (hopefully) dries up, the smell of event season is in the air and boy, are we ready for it.
With weddings almost back to full capacity, indoor and outdoor dining on the table and friends allowed over to your home, it's time to start planning the summer social engagements and we've got you covered.
Pampas Grass is still the number 1 summer staple and the perfect way to impress your guests. We've put together an easy to follow step-by-step for this Pampas Cloud Centerpiece which can be used again and again all summer long!
Whether you want to dress your wedding tables, host a bottomless brunch for your gals or decorate a boho baby shower, this pampas centerpiece is a guaranteed showstopper - and I promise you, it's not too tricky to recreate this look at home.
What's more, using dried and faux flowers means that after the event, you can pop it in your living room, on a mantelpiece or in your hallway and keep your display for another 2+ years!
So, HOW? I hear you cry. Well here is everything you need to know;
What you'll need;
- A block of oasis for dried/faux flowers
- 3 Stems of Extra Fluffy Pampas Grass
- 2 White Palm Fans
- 4 Natural Palm Spears
- 3 Stems Dried Gypsophila
- Bleached Broom Broom
- Bleached Dried Fern
- Stypha Penatta
- 2-3 stems of White Faux Flowers to give a contrasting effect
^ It looks like a long list but if you're buying from a market or wholesaler you'll have plenty leftover for additional displays or decorations!
For sourcing these bits we recommend New Covent Garden Market in Vauxhall, Botanic Collectives for small batch orders or if you're kitting out an event then Atlas Flowers for larger quantities.
Step 1
For this size; a medium centerpiece, I've just used half of a standard block of oasis. If you'd like it bigger, just double the materials listed above and keep the block as it is. Oasis is super easy to cut but messy so be warned - cut over kitchen sink or newsparer!
Step 2
Start by carefully separating the Pampas Stems and Gypsophilia. This is the part where you gauge the size of the Pampas Cloud. At the base of the display I like to go around an alternate between Pampas and Gypsophilia, making sure it's symmetrical.
When separating the Pampas grass stems, just make sure there's enough stem that it can be poked easily into the oasis.
Top Tip: For a standard dining table size, I make the cloud wide and narrow so that it will sit down the centre of the table. For a circular centrepiece you could make it an even diameter all the way around so that it looks full from all angles!
Step 3
Before I start filling it out, I like to add the stems to the centre at the top to make sure the height is even to the width - this will also help when adding the other flowers as it keeps it all looking neat and structured all the way around.
Top Tip: Remember if this is going as a centrepiece for a dinner table then your guests will want to speak to each other - don't make it too tall!
Step 4
Now is when it starts to get even more fun. There's no real rhyme or reason to how you begin to fill it out, I would just recommend that you always keep it symmetrical - so, if you add a fern to the left hand side at the front, make sure you add it to the right hand side at the back. This will keep it looking textured, fluffy and full but also uniform and neat!
You can go wild from here but if you want to carry on following how I did it, I started with two stems of the bleached fern. Add 1 stem just to the right of the Pampas Grass you added before - spin the display 180° and add the second stem to the right of the Pampas on the reverse side. Try and keep these around the same height as the Pampas Grass stems in the middle.
Step 5
Next, take the white palm stems and insert into the oasis slight to the left hand side of the Pampas in the middle. Make sure you angle this towards the left to help give the cloud some volume and shape.
Step 6
Take two of the Palm Spears and angle in the opposite direction to the white palm fan, trim these a little shorter to add some levels into the display and insert into the oasis. Make sure to repeat, symmetrically onto the reverse side of the centrepiece.
Afterwards, begin adding some extra 'filler' around the palm leaves using a mixture of Pampas Grass, Gypsophila and the Bleached broom broom.
Top Tip: The aim is to make sure your guests can't see the Oasis underneath all of the flowers so make sure you get everything covered!
Step 7
The next step is a little more fiddly so be careful with the angle and to not break the oasis.
Take another palm spear and trim it down - it should have around a 8-10cm stem. This spear is going to be used to cover a lot of the 'front' of the oasis so needs to be carefully inserted at an angle. From the top right of the display, angle downwards to the bottom left of the oasis and make sure it's firmly inserted. Repeat on the reverse side.
Step 8
Next is another opportunity to add more filler to the display. Make sure all of the gaps are covered. Leave a space to the right of the pampas grass cloud - this is where we'll add the faux flowers for a real focal point.
Step 9
The penultimate step is to add in your faux flowers. Choose something that has a white or a cream base so that it ties in all the other colours but also brightens up the display and adds a focal point.
Trim the stems so that they have around 6-7cm of stem to insert into the oasis.
Step 10
And, finally, we add, maybe my favourite dried flower of all, the Stypha Pennata. I just love how soft and whimsical it is and adds texture to anything!
Go a little crazy here and add a few stems all over the display.
Top Tip; As the stems are quite soft, I often make a hole in the oasis first using the stem of a different flower and then slot the Stypha in there!
And there you have it. Your Pampas Grass Centrepiece that can be used at any event this summer or even just to decorate your home with!
Let me know if you're having a go at this and if you run in to any problems, just pop me a DM on instagram; @mywimble
I can't wait to see your pictures - make sure you tag us in them!
Thank you for joining me for this one!
Love,
Han
