Do you have a fondness for baby’s breath and want to learn more about this little flower? Would you like to discover how to create a baby’s breath bouquet for an event like a party or a wedding? Or perhaps even plant some to grow directly in your garden?
You are in the right place.
Baby’s breath is a flower that plays a significant role in my daily life as a florist: it is highly appreciated by customers in the shop as well as at events like weddings and baptisms.
Today, I’m sharing with you everything I know about this lovely little flower, so that you can create beautiful bouquets and use it for decorations, and maybe even cultivate it yourself!
Associated with purity, eternal love, and childhood innocence, Baby’s Breath is a versatile little flower that can be used to create stunning floral arrangements, bouquets, or even accessories like flower crowns. Because of its abundant volume, it is cost-effective and easy to work with. It also dries very easily. Additionally, you can grow it in your garden by either seeding it or transplanting it. It thrives in well-drained soil and loves a sunny location!
Want to learn more? Keep reading to discover:
- How to recognize it
- Its meaning, and what occasions you can give it
- How to use it to decorate a wedding
- How to create a bouquet with it, as well as drying techniques
- Tips for growing it in your garden
Where Does This Flower Come From and What Does It Look Like?
Light and delicate, Baby’s Breath is a plant that blooms from May to September in our gardens. Because it is so popular, it is extensively grown in greenhouses, making it available year-round from many growers and florists.
The abundance of small white flowers is very distinctive and has contributed to its popularity. Its name comes from a type of rock, gypsum – also known as lime – with which this plant thrives particularly well.
Originally from Eurasia, Africa, and Australia, it can now be found in temperate regions around the world. It enjoyed great popularity during the Victorian era in both the United States and England in the 19th century. In fact, it was highly regarded not only for its decorative appearance during celebrations but also for its significance.
👉 In English, it is called “Baby’s breath,” which translates to “breath of a baby.” This name comes from its popularity in decorating baby showers, which are parties held to celebrate the arrival of a new baby.
What is the Meaning of Baby’s Breath?
Would you like to decorate an event with this flower and are wondering what its hidden meaning is? Don’t wait any longer to find out in the rest of this article!
What does it mean in the language of flowers?
Due to its color and lightness, Baby’s Breath symbolizes eternal love and purity. For this reason, it is often included in wedding bouquets and decorations. It serves as a reminder that it is important to care for those we love and to show them all the affection we feel for them.
This flower also represents innocence, especially childlike purity. It serves as a reminder that the sweetness and delicacy of children are precious qualities that should be cherished and nurtured every day.
Why Give a Bouquet with Baby’s Breath?
A floral arrangement featuring this small white flower can be given on many occasions:
- For a wedding or a baptism,
- For Valentine’s Day, accompanied by red roses 🌹,
- To express your everlasting love to your partner,
- To celebrate the birth of a child 👶,
- For a child’s birthday or a young woman’s celebration,
- Everyday use, for someone who enjoys light floral arrangements.
👉 Although it is mostly white, Baby’s Breath can also be a natural light pink. When it has this hue, this flower is often given for the birth and birthday of girls, as it is associated with femininity.
The white Gypsophila is also used in floral arrangements for funerals. Its delicate appearance and pristine color evoke the purity of the soul that has departed and symbolize the afterlife.
How to Use Baby’s Breath to Decorate an Event?
While floral art continues to evolve, this flower remains a timeless classic for weddings, christenings, and baby showers. In the following sections, I invite you to explore its various uses in event planning.
To Create Volume in Large Decorations 💒
Because it’s affordable and quite voluminous, Baby’s Breath is perfect for creating large-scale decorations like table runners, staircase garlands, or flower arches.
Since this flower can stay fresh and in bloom for several hours without water, it’s also great for arrangements that will be displayed in the sun, such as balcony displays or car decorations.
👉 In the 1990s and 2000s, this flower was mostly used alongside larger blooms, like roses, to enhance their beauty. However, in recent years, the trend has shifted to placing it in the spotlight in bold bouquets made entirely of this flower. These arrangements are not only easier to create and more affordable, but they also produce a stunning bohemian and wild effect.
To Add Elegance to Bouquets and Arrangements 💐
Whether it’s a wedding bouquet or centerpieces, Baby’s Breath is a delicate detail that adds airiness and sophistication to your floral decor. You can pair it with other flowers or create a lovely, cohesive bouquet.
👉 For a unique decoration, be aware that there is dyed Baby’s Breath available in pastel colors, which can be ordered from many suppliers. This flower is commonly used to decorate large events, such as the Coachella Festival in the United States.
To Create Beautiful Accessories 👰
This flower is also commonly used to create floral arrangements, such as:
- Floral bracelets for the bridesmaids,
- Floral boutonnieres for the groomsmen,
- Floral updos adorned with a floral comb,
- Floral crowns for the bride and/or her bridesmaids.
Are you looking to try – and maybe even adopt – a flower crown👑🌺 for an event? Visit our online store specializing in floral items to discover our stunning original and bohemian flower crowns. Enjoy free shipping while you can!
How to Make a Bouquet with This Flower and Keep It Lasting Long
Do you want to create a bouquet of Baby’s Breath? Here are some tips to help you!
A flower that’s very easy to use in floral arrangements…
This little flower has many advantages for beginners in floral design:
✔️ Its stems are quite sturdy, making it easy to handle without breaking.
✔️ It is very voluminous, making it easy to quickly create a beautiful bouquet.
✔️ It’s not always necessary to pair it with foliage,
✔️ It doesn’t require much moisture and is not afraid of the heat from the hands of the person handling it.
To create a voluminous bouquet of Baby’s Breath, you’ll need at least 5 or 6 stems that are about 20 inches long. Take each stem and trim them down to roughly 12 inches each. Then, gather them together to form a bouquet.
👉 If you want to make a suspended Baby’s Breath ball, you can also insert short stems directly into a special hydrophilic foam ball designed for this purpose, which you can find at craft stores or from a florist.
… And really easy to dry!
To dry Baby’s Breath, simply place it in a vase with a few inches of water at the bottom and allow the water to evaporate. You can also hang it upside down in a dark room, away from moisture. It will last for years!
Growing Baby’s Breath in Your Garden? It’s Easy!
Do you want to grow beautiful baby’s breath in your garden? Here are some tips that should help you out.
There are two options for planting this flower in your garden:
- Either buy it in a container and plant it in the fall or spring, avoiding frost periods.
- Or sow it in the spring or summer.
In the first year, make sure to water it regularly, especially during hot weather. Baby’s breath enjoys a sunny location as well as loose, rich limestone soil. However, it can adapt to all types of soil as long as they are well-drained.
👉 To ensure you choose a suitable location for it, make sure it receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.
It’s a flower that withstands drought well once it is well established. If you notice that your Gypsophila bed doesn’t look its best, you can apply a fertilizer with a balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (10-10-10). Don’t hesitate to ask for advice at your local garden center!
It’s a flower that’s easy to grow, and you’ll enjoy it for many years to come!
Now you know everything there is to know to enjoy Baby’s Breath in your daily life, use it in floral arrangements, or decorate an event!
💐 Do you love flowers and find their decorating potential fascinating? Be sure to check out our specialized site for floral products to explore our everlasting roses, rose walls, and even our flower bears, and more!