Maybe a variety of gaura? Gaura lindheimeri Crimson Butterflies would be my guess. Google it and see if that looks like it.

I think you are correct. They were in containers, now planted in the ground. We'll see if they survive the winter (zone 7).

Noticed some GW comments on Gaura in 2009.

It's sometimes sold here as an annual and sometimes as a perennial:
"annual/tender perennial" is mentioned in the comments.

Have tried Gaura lindheimeri, here, maybe half a dozen times, but it has invariably failed to survive the winter.

I'm in zone 5b and my lindheimeri "Siskiyou pink" overwinter pretty well. I've lost a few, but any that die can easily be replaced with seedlings. But these should be transplanted young, before the taproot is too large, and you should take a good chunk of ground with them for best success.

This year is the first I've grown the white lindheimeri and I think there are already seedlings coming up.

Mine are grown at the top of and among boulders that form a low retaining wall. The setting is perfect for them, as the flower stalks lean out over the lower garden.

one might call it a scraggly plant that should be replaced by something with more umph ... for a spot that looks like it might be near your front door ... [the lack of rain under the eave???]

throw it out back in some other flower bed.. and make a statement there ...

start a new post.. pull back the pic.. and ask what plant might make a better statement there... IMHO ...

ken

ps: maybe a clematis up that post.. and another plant a foot or two out ....