Glorious Gladioli

Gladioli are fabulously flamboyant flowers that are making a comeback, so why not add them to your borders and containers for a bit of glamour, says Camilla Phelps

- Camilla phelps

GLADIOLI are fast reclaiming their spot on the horticultural catwalk. Just as we’ve seen dahlias shed their old-fashioned image over the past few years, ‘glads’ are now increasingly in demand. Always a showy plant, they have long been associated with rock stars and performers while also winning many horticultural accolades with their stunning blooms. So, while they have never completely fallen from grace, perhaps in these straightened times we’re all in need of the rich colours and pure glamour they bring.

Gladioli are also known as sword lilies due to their spiky foliage, which is accompanied by tall flower spires crammed with gorgeous blooms that look just as good in the garden as in a vase. Sarah Raven describes them as the “tulip for your summer garden”, and they are good for providing colour, structure and elegance. With such a strong vertical form, gladioli are the perfect foil for late-summer borders filled with dahlias; and with an extraordinary range of colours to choose from, there is a ‘glad’ for every garden.

As colour trends go, the most in demand this year are warm red and coppery tones, and Farmer Gracy reports that Gladiolus nanus varieties are increasingly popular. This reflects the renewed interest – with a slightly more natural appearance, nanus gladioli are easier to combine with informal planting schemes, and grow in containers and don’t require staking.

Relatively pest and disease free