Gaura 'Pink Bouquet' Seeds

Oenothera lindheimeri (formerly Gaura), known as 'Pink Bouquet', is a robust Hardy Perennial (H4). While technically a perennial, it is exceptionally fast-growing and is often treated as a "First Year Flowering Perennial"—meaning if you sow it early in the spring, you will be rewarded with a full cloud of butterfly-like blooms in its very first summer.

The Taproot Specialist: Gaura develops a deep, resilient taproot that allows it to find moisture in the leanest, driest UK soils. This makes it a hero for south-facing banks or gravel gardens. However, this same taproot means it strongly dislikes sitting in cold, wet clay over winter; in heavy soils, we recommend adding a high volume of grit to the planting hole.

Movement & Texture: Gaura is prized by garden designers for its "see-through" quality. Its airy wands of pink stars don't block the view of plants behind them, instead weaving through the border to add a sense of wild, naturalistic movement that softens more structural perennials.

Gaura is satisfying to grow from seed but requires a consistent warm start to trigger successful germination.

How to Sow:
Sow indoors from February to April. Surface sow the seeds onto moist seed compost and cover with only a very fine sprinkling of vermiculite; the seeds require light to germinate. Maintain a temperature of approximately 20°C. Seedlings typically appear within 14-21 days.

Where to Plant:
They demand full sun to prevent the stems from becoming floppy. Gaura thrives in light, well-drained soil and is the perfect candidate for hot borders, gravel gardens, or large terracotta pots. Once established, it is one of the most drought-tolerant perennials available for the UK garden.

Ongoing Care:
Gaura is remarkably low-maintenance; the individual flowers drop off cleanly once finished, so no tedious deadheading is required. If the plant becomes too sprawling in mid-summer, you can give it a "Chelsea Chop"—cutting the stems back by a third to encourage a second, bushier flush of growth and even more flowers for the autumn.

The soft pink mist of 'Pink Bouquet' is a versatile blender that pairs espectacularly with movement-rich or high-contrast partners from our collection:

• 🔵 Cornflower 'Blue Ball': The Cottage Contrast. The vibrant electric blue of the Cornflower makes the soft blush-pink of the Gaura appear even more luminous. The upright, spiky stems of the cornflower provide a structural counterpoint to the arching, swaying Gaura wands.
• 🌾 Squirrel Tail Grass (Hordeum jubatum): The Prairie Look. Gaura and ornamental grasses are a match made in heaven. Both plants are defined by their movement in the wind, creating a relaxed, tactile planting scheme that looks incredible when backlit by the summer sun.

Sow indoors in spring for a full butterfly-like display from June right through to the first frosts of autumn.