Garden and Flowers

BABY’S BREATH

You do not need not look far to find something beautiful. This gypsophila, which obviously grows on walls, is a wild annual from central and eastern Europe, among other places. It is therefore fully hardy. Its gossamer-thin stems are reasonably tensile, but are bent down by the weight of the tiny flowers which, however, are borne in such quantities that the plant is covered with them. Strangely enough, it is almost impossible to buy seeds of this rewarding little plant. It forms a neat, loose tuft of delicate greenery and looks just right for hanging baskets. Plants are available from firms specializing in plants for patios and balconies, but why are there not more of them? It can’t be the growers’ fault. They market several cultivars, including Gypsophila muralis ‘Gypsy.’ Some flowers are double. Gypsophila muralis ‘Garden Bride’ is an old favorite with single flowers. Gypsophila muralis ‘Tweeny’ closely resembles the above cultivar, but is even more compact.

Sow it indoors in March. It needs light to germinate and should not be covered. Keep properly moist during germination. Grow the seedlings on at 50-15 °F. They may be moved out-of-doors early in May, and will then come into flower in June and go on flowering right through the summer. If they are sown directly in the garden from early May, they will come into flower by the end of July. Find a partially shaded spot and do not let the rootball dry out.

Gypsophila Muralis Baby’s breath does well in borders, rock gardens, or planted among the roses. It has an exceptionally long bloom time, lasting from early summer to early autumn in most areas. It does best planted in groups, and will go from seed to flower in 8 to 12 weeks. Provide protection from strong winds and add compost or manure to the soil for stronger flowers. Pull up the plants as soon as the flowers fade. Baby’s breath dries well, and is an excellent background in arrangements.