I'm always looking for free or inexpensive props to use for staging, and this time of year my garden is a great resource. I use Design Master metallic spray paints on dried flowers, seed heads, panicles and beautifully-shaped branches, then mix them with seasonal silk flowers to create arrangements that are beautiful, versatile and very long-lasting.
There's a vase of dried switch grass (Panicum 'Rotstrahlbusch') and one of Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) on my desk. I sprayed both grasses with Antique Gold years ago, and they still look pretty good... The panicum is well-behaved in the garden, but I have to harvest the Sea Oats in self-defense before the seeds can travel.
