Dried flowers and pampas in a vase: height, shape and care
Share
Short answer: dried flowers and pampas need no water, so they can go straight into the vase, with or without the insert. For tall pampas, choose a tall vase that stands firmly, such as a Large or a SPIRE. For a small bunch of dried flowers, a Small of 22 cm is often enough. As a rule of thumb, tall grasses may stand two to three times as high as the vase, a compact dried bouquet one and a half to two times.
Why dried flowers suit a 3D-printed vase
Without water there is nothing to leak and no insert to rinse. What remains is texture: the fine ribs of the vase beside feathery pampas, papery petals and seed heads. On a matte surface nothing shines, so the eye goes to the flowers.
Height and proportion
| Dried flowers | Character | Vase |
|---|---|---|
| Pampas plumes | Tall, light and airy | Large, 34 cm, or SPIRE Large, 33 cm |
| Dried eucalyptus, branches | Long and woody | Large, or Medium for shorter branches |
| Bunny tails, statice, gypsophila | Short and full | Small, 22 cm, or Medium |
| One sculptural stem: a thistle, honesty, a seed head | A single line | SORA or SILK, Small |
These ratios are a starting point. A low, wide bunch can sit well in a tall vase too; it simply becomes a different arrangement.
Keeping tall pampas upright
Pampas is light but tall, and a 3D-printed vase weighs less than ceramic. For long plumes, choose a Large and give it a spot where nobody brushes past, such as the back of a sideboard. Leave the insert in: it gives the stems something to lean against. Cut the stems to slightly different lengths, so the plumes fan out instead of standing in one block.
Pairing colours
- Sand with pale pampas: tone on tone, the quietest combination.
- Brown with dried eucalyptus or seed heads: warm and autumnal.
- Black with light pampas or bleached grasses: the strongest contrast.
- Olive with undyed grasses: green and straw together, like a field in late summer.
- White with anything: the dried flowers set the colour.
How the five colours work in a room is covered in which colour vase to choose.
Caring for dried flowers
- Keep them out of full sun. The colours fade, and the vase needs to stay below 50°C anyway.
- Dust them now and then with a hairdryer on the cold setting, from a distance, or with a soft brush.
- Keep them dry. Steam from a kitchen or bathroom makes them limp.
- Touch them as little as possible; dried petals are brittle.
Frequently asked questions
Do dried flowers need the insert?
No. Dried flowers and pampas need no water, so they can go straight into the vase. You can leave the insert in as support for long stems.
Which vase is best for pampas?
A tall vase that stands firmly: a Large of 34 cm, or a SPIRE Large of 33 cm. Tall grasses may stand two to three times as high as the vase.
How do you keep dried flowers looking good?
Keep them out of full sun and away from steam, and dust them now and then with cool air or a soft brush.
Every shape takes dried flowers. See them in the collection, from €39, or read how to combine two or three vases.
