Gaura 'The Bride'

The ultimate see-through plant. Gaura The Bride produces slender, arching wands topped with countless star-shaped white flowers that emerge from delicate pink-tinged buds and dance in the slightest breeze — earning its common name Whirling Butterflies. The stems are virtually invisible, allowing the white blooms to appear as though they are floating in mid-air, weaving through other plants and softening the border with a luminous white haze.

Flowers from June to late October. Drought-tolerant, RHS Plants for Pollinators listed. Approximately 40 seeds per packet.

• Oenothera lindheimeri 'The Bride' — RHS Pollinators, Hardy Perennial (H4)
• Height: 90–120cm | Flowers: June–late October
• Sow indoors February–April at 20°C; surface sow, needs light
• Full sun; light, well-drained soil — drought-tolerant once established
• Chelsea Chop in midsummer for a second flush
• Flowers drop cleanly — no deadheading required

Grow it with Cornflower Blue Ball for a combination of floating white butterflies and electric blue that is one of the most elegant pairings in the summer border.