| Most keen gardeners are well aware of the romantic charm members of the Gaura family add to a gardenscape with their wispy stems of dainty butterfly-like blooms. Along with their visual appeal comes the lengthy display first appearing in spring and continuing right through to the onset of winter. All varieties currently available can boast this characteristic but only this one can boast a true, compact form. Gaura 'Crimson Butterflies' sports a very different look to its relatives forming a tight, compact shrub reaching to only around 45cm in height and only slightly more in spread. Its foliage is a deep burgundy shade that is particularly intense whilst young but still apparent in the slightly greener, more mature leaves. In addition to this ornamentation is a long display of unusually deep, hot pink flowers which again, unlike the other varieties, are borne on far shorter, stouter stems rising just clear of the foliage. |
| Needless to say, due to its size, G. 'Crimson Butterflies' is ideal for small gardens, courtyards or container gardens but can also add vibrant colour to the front of borders in a larger garden designs. The deeply coloured foliage and striking flower colour makes certain this little plant will not get lost in the crowd! Using plants with silver foliage behind or beside it is another good way of creating a strong focal point. Gauras have a loose romantic feel particularly suited to informal, cottage or wildflower styled gardens but still useful for breaking up hard lines in a more structured and formal layout. |
| Gauras are easy to grow and require little maintenance. Choose a sunny location. G. 'Crimson Butteflies' will tolerate a variety of soils from sandy to clay based although best performance will be achieved in well drained, moist and fertile soil. Cold and frost tolerant. Will grow in hot, dry conditions, however, mulching and occasional deep watering during extended dry periods is recommended. Easy to prune - simply trim off the top third of the plant's overall size in early spring to promote flower production and to maintain a neat shape. An application of slow release fertiliser at the time of pruning would also be beneficial. |
Height: 45cm
