Gypsophila Summer Sparkles®

Gypsophila Summer Sparkles®: Clouds of White That Steal the Bouquet

This baby's breath never needed a bouquet to feel important. A cloud of tiny white flowers covers every side, while salt, drought and deer all fail to make a dent. THE FILLER FLOWER THAT FINALLY GOT ITS OWN SHOW.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Gypsophila paniculata 'ESM Chispa'
• Common Name: Baby's Breath
• Height: 58–69 cm (23–27 in)
• Spread: 76–102 cm (30–40 in)
• Flowers: Small, semi-double, white and lightly fragrant, covering the plant on all sides
• Bloom Time: Late spring to midsummer (June to July)
• Foliage: Grey-green on a densely branched, rounded clump that doesn't go dormant in summer
• Features: Salt tolerant, good for fresh and dried flowers

Where to Plant: Use it in the front or middle of a sunny border, where its cloud of white softens hard edges and fills gaps left by plants that go dormant in summer. It's salt tolerant, so it's a good pick for beds near a driveway or sidewalk. Plant extra in a cutting bed for fresh or dried bouquets.

Companion Plants: Plant Summer Sparkles® in a sunny, dry bed where its white haze softens fuchsia, lavender-blue and yellow. Delosperma 'Jewel of Desert Opal' carpets the front at 10 to 15 cm with fuchsia-magenta flowers. Nepeta Junior Walker™ adds lavender-blue spikes at 30 to 45 cm from June to September. Echinacea paradoxa brings drooping yellow coneflowers at 75 to 90 cm from June to August. Panicum Prairie Winds® 'Apache Rose' stands behind at 120 cm, upright and grey-green.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in well-drained, gritty soil. Neutral to alkaline soil suits it best. Wet clay, especially over winter, is the fastest way to lose it, so improve heavy soil with grit or plant in a raised spot. Water through the first season, then only in long dry spells. Shear or deadhead after the first flush of flowers to encourage more. Cut back in late fall or early spring. Baby's breath grows a deep taproot and dislikes being moved, so choose its spot once and leave it there. Don't divide it.

History: Gypsophila paniculata is native to central and eastern Europe and central Asia, and its genus name comes from the Greek for gypsum and loving, a nod to its fondness for chalky, limy soils. Summer Sparkles® is a compact selection offered by Walters Gardens of Michigan.

Final Thoughts: Plant it by the road where nothing else survives the winter salt. Then cut a handful for the house. STOP CALLING IT FILLER.