GAURA BRIGHTENS A COTTAGE GARDEN

At this time of year, it has masses of pastel-pink flowers above wonderful burgundy coloured foliage.  Bred with functionality in mind, its upright and compact habit makes Gaura Passionate Blush the perfect selection for the perfect selection for the traditional cottage-style garden.  En masse, it creates a wonderful, conspicuous informal hedge.  Its compactness and form also lend it to container or pots. 

Gaura Passionate Blush will tolerate a range of soils from sandy to clay based - although it performs best in well drained, moist and fertile soil with occasional to regular summer watering.  Passionate Blush is classified as tolerant of cold and frost.

For care and pruning, simply trim off up to half of the plant's size in early spring to maintain a neat shape and promote flower production.  A light prune to remove dead flower stems in mid summer can extend the flowering period into winter and an application of slow release fertiliser during early spring will also be of benefit.

The Press, Plant of the Month February 2009

The Press Gardening, in association with Gardening Solutionz has five Gaura Passionate Blush plants to give away.  To enter the draw, write your name and address on the back of an envelope and sned it to Gaura Passionate Blush Giveaway, Press Gardening. PO Box 1005, Christchurch 8140, to reach us no later than noon on Wednesday 18th Feb 2009.

Congratulations to Tony Smith, Ruth Gardner, John Crawford, Lauris MacLachlan and Sally Kavanagh, who each won a Gaura Passionate Blush.