Summer Sparkles Baby's Breath

Summer Sparkles® baby's breath is the trade name for the cultivar ‘Esm Chispa’, a densely branched, rounded plant with gray-green foliage and lightly fragrant, semi-double white flowers. Walters Gardens reports a 23–27 inch height and 30–40 inch spread, while the plant patent describes container-grown plants at about 45 cm tall and 55 cm wide; the combined references support approximate ranges of 18–27 inches tall and 22–40 inches wide. ## Garden placement The broad clump fits the middle of a sunny border and works in a container, where it usually stays shorter. Its fine flowers make a soft filler around spring bulbs and early-summer perennials that fade back, and the stems are useful both fresh and dried. ## Growing conditions Grow it in full sun and well-drained soil. The species favors neutral to alkaline conditions and dislikes standing water; avoid moving an established plant because its fleshy taproot is easily disturbed. The patent identifies ‘Esm Chispa’ as *Gypsophila hybrida*, while perennial listings market the same selection as *G. paniculata*; using the genus and cultivar name preserves the selection while leaving species placement unresolved. ## Maintenance Removing the first round of spent flowers encourages rebloom. Cut stems for arrangements while the flower clusters are fresh, or leave some to dry on the plant. Trim spent stems after flowering and keep the root zone free of excess moisture. Sources: [Walters Gardens: Summer Sparkles® (‘Esm Chispa’)](https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=GYPSS); [US Plant Patent 19,318: ‘Esm Chispa’](https://patents.google.com/patent/USPP19318P2/en); [North Carolina Extension: Gypsophila paniculata](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/gypsophila-paniculata/).