Baby’s-breath ,this is also spelled babies’-breath, is a garden plant grown for its many tiny white flowers. The plants are from 2 to 3 feet (60 to 92 centimeters) tall, and have widely branching stems. They are grown in front of shrubbery in rock gardens. Florists mix baby’s-breath among the larger flowers in bouquets for a delicate effect. The most common type of baby’s-breath is a perennial, which lives from year to year. However, a few related plants often called baby’s-breath are annuals, and are grown from seeds each year. These plants have rose or pink flowers. Baby’s-breath is easy to grow. It is often found in dry, open places. See also Pink.

Scientific classification. Baby’s-breath belongs to the pink family, Caryophyllaceae. The scientific name for the perennial baby’s-breath is Gypsophila panicula.

Bachelor’s-button is a plant with small flowers shaped like buttons. Usually the flowers are blue, but some varieties have pink, purple, or white blossoms. The flowers measure 1 to 1 ± inches (2.4 to 3.7 centimeters) across. Bachelor’s-buttons are annual plants—that is, they live for only one year. The plant, which blooms from June to September, grows up to 2 feet (60 centimeters) tall and has long, narrow leaves. White, cottony hairs cover the leaves and young stems. Bachelor’s-buttons are also called cornflowers or bluebottles.

The bachelor’s-button originally grew wild in Europe, north of the Mediterranean Sea, but it has spread to many areas of the world. The bachelor’s-button is a hardy plant that can easily be grown in the garden. In spring, new plants may sprout from seeds dropped by the previous year’s plants.

Scientific classification. The bachelor’s-button belongs to the composite family, Compositae. Its scientific name is Centau-rea cyanus.

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