A close-up of Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden's Gypsophila Covent Garden shows delicate white flowers with yellow centers, green stems, and buds, all set against a blurred green background.
A close-up of Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden's Gypsophila Covent Garden shows delicate white flowers with yellow centers, green stems, and buds, all set against a blurred green background.A hand holds a bouquet of delicate white Gypsophila Covent Garden flowers by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden, with slender green stems resting on a dark wooden surface.A pale yellow pitcher filled with Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden’s Gypsophila Covent Garden sits on a stone patio, surrounded by potted plants and wooden planters in a charming garden setting.Gypsophila Covent Garden by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden features delicate white blooms and green stems set against dark wood, creating a striking contrast that highlights the airy beauty of this classic annual.Gypsophila Covent Garden by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden forms a dense carpet of delicate white blooms with green stems and leaves. The small, yellow-centered flowers bring a natural, serene look reminiscent of a florist bouquet.Close-up of Gypsophila Covent Garden by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden, featuring delicate white annual blooms with fine petals and slender green stems, ideal for florist bouquets or adding elegance to a lush garden.A yellow circular logo features a black and white bee and "RHS PLANTS FOR POLLINATORS" text, ideal for highlighting Gypsophila Covent Garden seeds by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden—classic white annuals loved in floral bouquets.A cluster of delicate white Gypsophila Covent Garden flowers by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden blooms outdoors on slender green stems, set against a softly blurred background of foliage and sky.Gypsophila Covent Garden by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden features dense clusters of small white annual flowers with green stems and leaves, creating a delicate, lush look—ideal for florist bouquets.Gypsophila Covent Garden by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden produces dense clusters of small, delicate white blooms on thin green stems—perfect for sunny outdoor spots or as a soft accent in florist bouquets.Gypsophila Covent Garden by Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden features dense clusters of small white annual blooms with delicate green stems and leaves, offering a soft, airy texture—ideal for natural outdoor settings or florists’ bouquets.
Annual Pollinator

Gypsophila Covent Garden

Gypsophila elegans 'Covent Garden'

£2.30approx. 1,000 seeds

Frothy mist of pure white open-faced blooms — the florist's secret tall annual Gypsophila that lifts every summer arrangement. Fast-growing, 6–8 weeks to flower.

Sowing months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Height
45–60cm
Spread
30cm
Spacing
20cm
Position
Full sun
Soil
Loves alkaline/chalky soil; add garden lime on acid soils; well-drained
Grow guide
How to grow Gypsophila Covent Garden
Read the full guide →
About this variety

Gypsophila elegans 'Covent Garden' Annual Baby's Breath 'Covent Garden'

A frothy mist of pure white open-faced blooms on slender branched stems — Gypsophila 'Covent Garden' is the florist's secret weapon: the superior annual strain producing much larger, brighter white flowers than the perennial types, and the indispensable airy neutral backdrop that lifts every summer vase it joins.

If you've ever wondered why florist bouquets look so light and airy, the secret is Gypsophila — and 'Covent Garden' is the variety. Unlike the creeping perennial types most gardeners know, 'Covent Garden' is the annual cutting strain bred specifically for tall growth (45–60cm) and abundant, larger, brighter-white flowers. The clouds of tiny pure-white blooms create a mist effect across slender wiry stems with characteristic narrow grey-green foliage. This is a workhorse plant — fast-growing (flowering in just 6–8 weeks from seed), providing the perfect neutral backdrop for almost any other flower. Whether softening bold Zinnias or adding romance to Sweet Peas, no vase is complete without a sprig of 'Covent Garden'. Hardy annual (H3). RHS Plants for Pollinators recognised — the tiny accessible flowers are surprisingly bee-friendly given their small size.

A note on growing

Gypsophila is a "scatter and grow" plant that performs best when its sensitive roots are left undisturbed — direct sowing is by far the most reliable method. Direct sow outdoors from March to May once soil has warmed. Sow at 5mm depth in well-drained soil. Germination is rapid, typically 7–14 days. Thin seedlings to 20cm spacing.

Crucial growing tip: succession sowing. Because 'Covent Garden' flowers so profusely, individual plants can "burn out" after 4–5 weeks of intense production. For a continuous supply of white clouds throughout summer, sow a small pinch of seeds every 2–3 weeks until June. This succession sowing ensures fresh plants coming into flower as earlier sowings finish.

In windy UK gardens, place a few twiggy birch sticks among the plants to provide discreet, natural support for the delicate stems. The name "Gypsophila" comes from the Greek gypsos (gypsum) and philos (loving) — the plant naturally prefers alkaline, chalky, gypsum-rich soils.

Where it shines

In the cutting garden as the indispensable airy neutral filler — there is genuinely no better lifter for romantic, soft summer bouquets. As a "scatter and forget" border filler, where 'Covent Garden' soft white mist provides gentle backdrop without competing with showier neighbours. In children's gardens and beginner plantings for confidence-building speed and reliability. As an emergency gap-filler in new borders where you need quick colour. In wildlife gardens, where the open-flowered Gypsophila supports hoverflies and small solitary bees that prefer accessible flat-faced flowers.

Plant alongside

The classic cottage cutting combination: pair 'Covent Garden' with Sweet Peas (matching delicate fragrance and ruffled romance), Cornflower 'Blue Ball' (electric blue against soft white mist creates a classic romantic palette), and Cosmos 'Purity' (matching white substance). For meadow-style cutting, combine with Poppy 'Flanders Red' for the bold red against the airy white. As a softener for bold colour, plant alongside Zinnia or Dahlia varieties where 'Covent Garden' tames the visual heaviness.

Plant alongside

Gypsophila Covent Garden pairs beautifully with these cottage garden classics

Sweet Pea Bishy Barnabee Mix
Sweet Pea Bishy Barnabee Mix
£2.10
Cornflower Blue Ball
Cornflower Blue Ball
£2.30
Poppy Flanders Red
Poppy Flanders Red
£1.59

RHS Plants for Pollinators

This plant has been assessed by the Royal Horticultural Society and recommended as especially beneficial to bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Growing plants like this directly supports UK pollinator populations — something close to our hearts at Salle Moor Hall Farm, where we see the difference a cottage garden full of the right plants can make.

Learn more at RHS.org.uk →