Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Gaura and Grasses

Gaura may not be spectacular on its own,
but paired with grasses,
and it fairly shines in the fall. 

One sunny October day, 
these gentle star like blooms
cradled in feathery grasses
caught my attention as I drove by. 



Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
does a good job of supporting
Gaura's (Gaura lindheimeri) sprawling stems,
its soft fronds contrasting
the bright blossoms. 



Gaura is hardy in zones 6 - 9, 
 but doesn't always winter reliably. 
Requiring good drainage,
it tolerates some drought.
Gaura likes sun or partial shade.
It will reseed if spent blooms are left on the plants.



Gaura has a long bloom time,
from late spring to fall.
Though I pass this garden a couple of times a week,
I didn't notice it until the fall, when
other flowers faded, making way for
Gaura to move into the spotlight.


Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') and
Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis),
shimmer in autumn light and
complete the scene.

8 comments:

Giga said...

Ładnie wyglądają przy trawach. Mnie one już dawno przekwitły. Bardzo ładne zdjęcia. Pozdrawiam

HolleyGarden said...

I love guara, and yours are beautiful! I love the white! I've only seen the pink before.

greggo said...

Agreed, good plant. First year for mine, a pink variety. It looks good with artemisia powis castle also.

Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade Gardens said...

That is a gorgeous combo.

Alistair said...

I am fond of Gaura, lovely pictures. It can be seen in the garden centres every year here in Scotland. Unfortunately it doesn't survive the Winter.

Karin / Southern Meadows said...

I have the pink and white Gaura and love them both! Combined with grasses they are stunning! Your photos really show them off well.

Pam's English Garden said...

Dear Chris, Gaura is new to me. I love it's delicate blooms which perfectly combine with the grasses in your photographs. Pity it wouldn't survive in my zone 5 garden. P. x

Carol Neelands said...

The combo really catches your eye.

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