Pampas Grass is not native to Vancouver (I think it originated in Argentina) but it is a popular plant, seen in many of the city's gardens.
Selective focus and lighting are combined in this image to emphasize the stalk just right of centre. Back-lighting the subject increases the contrast between the foreground and background. A longer focal length (a mild telephoto lens) helps select the desired portion of the photograph by simultaneously narrowing the angle of view and the depth of field.