Gaura Whirling Butterflies 2 Litre Pot

Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’ – Clouds of Dancing White Flowers All Summer Long

Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’ is one of the most elegant and free-flowering perennials available, producing hundreds of delicate white flowers that appear to float and dance above the plant from early summer until the first frosts. The blooms are borne on slender, wiry stems and move gracefully in the slightest breeze, creating the impression of a cloud of fluttering butterflies hovering above the border.

Its long flowering season makes it invaluable in the garden, providing continuous colour and movement when many other perennials have finished their main display. The pure white flowers emerge from pink-tinted buds, adding further interest and contrast throughout the season.

The plant forms a neat clump of narrow green foliage, from which the airy flowering stems rise, creating a light, transparent effect that blends beautifully with surrounding plants. This natural, informal habit makes it ideal for cottage gardens, prairie-style planting, contemporary borders, and wildlife-friendly schemes.

Highly attractive to bees and pollinating insects, ‘Whirling Butterflies’ brings both beauty and biodiversity to the garden. It also performs exceptionally well in containers, where its graceful flowering stems can spill naturally amongst other summer-flowering plants.

Once established, Gaura is remarkably drought tolerant and thrives in sunny positions with well-drained soil. It requires very little maintenance and rewards gardeners with months of effortless colour and movement.

Elegant, resilient, and endlessly floriferous, Gaura ‘Whirling Butterflies’ is a superb choice for adding softness, texture, and long-lasting seasonal interest to any garden.

Seasonal Beauty & Growth

Spring

Fresh green foliage emerges, forming neat clumps and producing the first flowering stems.

Summer

Masses of delicate white flowers open continuously, creating a light and airy display.

Autumn

Flowering continues well into autumn, often until the first frosts.

Winter

The plant dies back, ready to re-emerge vigorously in spring.

Why Grow Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies'?

✔ Flowers continuously from early summer until frost
✔ Delicate butterfly-like white blooms
✔ Adds movement and softness to planting schemes
✔ Highly attractive to bees and pollinators
✔ Drought tolerant once established
✔ Excellent for borders, prairie planting, and containers
✔ Low maintenance and easy to grow

Perfect For

• Cottage gardens
• Prairie-style planting
• Wildlife-friendly gardens
• Mixed perennial borders
• Contemporary landscapes
• Patio containers
• Gravel and drought-tolerant gardens

Planting & Care Guide

Position: Full sun preferred.

Soil: Well-drained soil; thrives in poor to moderately fertile soils.

Hardiness: Fully hardy in most UK gardens.

Watering: Water during establishment; drought tolerant once established.

Pruning: Cut back old stems in early spring before new growth appears.

Ultimate Size: Approximately 60–90cm tall and 40–60cm wide.

Looks Great With

• Salvia ‘Caradonna’
• Verbena bonariensis
• Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’
• Echinacea purpurea
• Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’
• Stipa tenuissima
• Lavender

Gaura ‘Whirling Butterflies’ is one of the longest-flowering and most graceful perennials you can grow, bringing months of elegant white blooms, pollinator appeal, and effortless movement to sunny garden borders.