if you're reading this, I'd just like to thank you for promoting the
glory of the vulgar gladioli. Yes, those huge, exotically OTT flower
spikes in dazzling colours and ruffles beloved of oldfashioned florists
gardeners and allotmenters, garden shows etc.

From childhood memory I'd always considered gladioli as one of those
tender fusspots that needs to be lifted, dried and dusted and replanted
after frosts, far too much faff for my "do or die" garden. I'd tried
several of the small-flowered, supposedly hardy gladioli nanus and
byzantium but they weren't....shy to flower even once, and far from
being hardy, just peter out to grassy leaves then nothing.

A few years back I saw in a Shed, corms of the large-flowered Dame Edna
kind including (irresistible to me) velvety Black Star

http://tinyurl.com/nkbkvfw

The corms are so ridiculously throw-away cheap I bought a bag and
planted them in clumps as exotic annuals. I was surprised how stunning
they look en masse, how long they flower, and that slugs don't trouble
them. Come autumn I abandoned them to die back, expecting winter rain
and cold to save the trouble of a funeral; especialy, as they were in
the cold-northfacing windiest side of the garden. The following year, I
bought a couple more bags and planted them. But to my surprise, by June
the first planting popped back up in full force with babies in tow. The
youngsters flower a bit later than the parents which is useful.

Those originals have just finished their third highly floriferous year
(and as cut flowers won a prize at the local show). The second lot have
lasted two, and I'm hooked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6701041...127084/in/set-
72157636350663755

(no name, these were mislabelled by B and Q as Velvet Eyes)

They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.

Janet.

On 09/10/2013 12:51, Janet wrote:


if you're reading this, I'd just like to thank you for promoting the
glory of the vulgar gladioli. Yes, those huge, exotically OTT flower
spikes in dazzling colours and ruffles beloved of oldfashioned florists
gardeners and allotmenters, garden shows etc.

From childhood memory I'd always considered gladioli as one of those
tender fusspots that needs to be lifted, dried and dusted and replanted
after frosts, far too much faff for my "do or die" garden. I'd tried
several of the small-flowered, supposedly hardy gladioli nanus and
byzantium but they weren't....shy to flower even once, and far from
being hardy, just peter out to grassy leaves then nothing.

A few years back I saw in a Shed, corms of the large-flowered Dame Edna
kind including (irresistible to me) velvety Black Star

http://tinyurl.com/nkbkvfw

The corms are so ridiculously throw-away cheap I bought a bag and
planted them in clumps as exotic annuals. I was surprised how stunning
they look en masse, how long they flower, and that slugs don't trouble
them. Come autumn I abandoned them to die back, expecting winter rain
and cold to save the trouble of a funeral; especialy, as they were in
the cold-northfacing windiest side of the garden. The following year, I
bought a couple more bags and planted them. But to my surprise, by June
the first planting popped back up in full force with babies in tow. The
youngsters flower a bit later than the parents which is useful.

Those originals have just finished their third highly floriferous year
(and as cut flowers won a prize at the local show). The second lot have
lasted two, and I'm hooked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6701041...127084/in/set-
72157636350663755

(no name, these were mislabelled by B and Q as Velvet Eyes)

They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.

Janet.





They all look great, Janet, but I especially love the G.Black Star.
Amazing colour!

Years ago, I also grew gladioli. Some of the leaves were spoiled
(marked and holey), but they flowered. The following year, no flowers
but lots of grassy foliage. I left the corms in, hoping they would
increase to flowering size, but they didn't. I spent a couple of years
pulling the grassy leaves up to get rid of them. I then sulked and
bought no more :~((.

So the question is: how do you keep them as flowering-size corms? Is
your soil lighter than mine (heavy clay despite 32yrs improving it)?, do
you plant them extra deep?, or feed/starve them ... or what?
I would love to have another go at growing them, especially Black Star
if I can get it.

I'd really appreciate your advice ... or indeed help from anyone who has
'the knack'.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

In article ,
says...
They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.

Janet.





They all look great, Janet, but I especially love the G.Black Star.
Amazing colour!

Years ago, I also grew gladioli. Some of the leaves were spoiled
(marked and holey), but they flowered. The following year, no flowers
but lots of grassy foliage. I left the corms in, hoping they would
increase to flowering size, but they didn't. I spent a couple of years
pulling the grassy leaves up to get rid of them. I then sulked and
bought no more :~((.

That's exactly what I found with several attempts with G byzantium and
nanus, proclaimed to be "hardier". NBG.

So the question is: how do you keep them as flowering-size corms? Is
your soil lighter than mine (heavy clay despite 32yrs improving it)?, do
you plant them extra deep?, or feed/starve them ... or what?

I garden on deep sandy loam, haven't found the bottom yet as the
deepest hole we've dug (pond) was only a metre. It's very high rainfall
here (west coast of Scotland), but free draining. I plant every kind of
bulb/corm 6 inches deep to defeat the pheasants' dustbath-excavations.

I fed the glads with a surface scattering of pelleted chicken manure in
summer; and in winter the whole garden gets mulched with raw seaweed
straight off the beach.

Janet

On 09/10/2013 12:51, Janet wrote:


if you're reading this, I'd just like to thank you for promoting the
glory of the vulgar gladioli. Yes, those huge, exotically OTT flower
spikes in dazzling colours and ruffles beloved of oldfashioned florists
gardeners and allotmenters, garden shows etc.

From childhood memory I'd always considered gladioli as one of those
tender fusspots that needs to be lifted, dried and dusted and replanted
after frosts, far too much faff for my "do or die" garden. I'd tried
several of the small-flowered, supposedly hardy gladioli nanus and
byzantium but they weren't....shy to flower even once, and far from
being hardy, just peter out to grassy leaves then nothing.

A few years back I saw in a Shed, corms of the large-flowered Dame Edna
kind including (irresistible to me) velvety Black Star

http://tinyurl.com/nkbkvfw

The corms are so ridiculously throw-away cheap I bought a bag and
planted them in clumps as exotic annuals. I was surprised how stunning
they look en masse, how long they flower, and that slugs don't trouble
them. Come autumn I abandoned them to die back, expecting winter rain
and cold to save the trouble of a funeral; especialy, as they were in
the cold-northfacing windiest side of the garden. The following year, I
bought a couple more bags and planted them. But to my surprise, by June
the first planting popped back up in full force with babies in tow. The
youngsters flower a bit later than the parents which is useful.

Those originals have just finished their third highly floriferous year
(and as cut flowers won a prize at the local show). The second lot have
lasted two, and I'm hooked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6701041...127084/in/set-
72157636350663755

(no name, these were mislabelled by B and Q as Velvet Eyes)

They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.

Janet.

I seem to remember when Chairman Mao died, some of the wreath were 6ft
in diameter. They had used Glads as the flowers on the outside like the
rays of the sun.
Can't find any pictures, but this shows an arrangement celebrating his
birthday using Glads amongst the other flowers.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/20...27_231079.html
There are some species Glads that do naturalise well, you often come
across then in the West country.
David @ an overcast buy still not to cold Swansea Bay.

"Janet" wrote



if you're reading this, I'd just like to thank you for promoting the
glory of the vulgar gladioli. Yes, those huge, exotically OTT flower
spikes in dazzling colours and ruffles beloved of oldfashioned florists
gardeners and allotmenters, garden shows etc.

From childhood memory I'd always considered gladioli as one of those
tender fusspots that needs to be lifted, dried and dusted and replanted
after frosts, far too much faff for my "do or die" garden. I'd tried
several of the small-flowered, supposedly hardy gladioli nanus and
byzantium but they weren't....shy to flower even once, and far from
being hardy, just peter out to grassy leaves then nothing.

A few years back I saw in a Shed, corms of the large-flowered Dame Edna
kind including (irresistible to me) velvety Black Star

http://tinyurl.com/nkbkvfw

The corms are so ridiculously throw-away cheap I bought a bag and
planted them in clumps as exotic annuals. I was surprised how stunning
they look en masse, how long they flower, and that slugs don't trouble
them. Come autumn I abandoned them to die back, expecting winter rain
and cold to save the trouble of a funeral; especialy, as they were in
the cold-northfacing windiest side of the garden. The following year, I
bought a couple more bags and planted them. But to my surprise, by June
the first planting popped back up in full force with babies in tow. The
youngsters flower a bit later than the parents which is useful.

Those originals have just finished their third highly floriferous year
(and as cut flowers won a prize at the local show). The second lot have
lasted two, and I'm hooked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6701041...127084/in/set-
72157636350663755

(no name, these were mislabelled by B and Q as Velvet Eyes)

They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.


I have never dug them up for winter protection since I first tried to grow
them and lost the lot by doing so. They were originally a mixed bunch from a
GC decades ago and although they were different colours it seems only two
varieties have survived over the years, but how they have survived! I moved
them into one large clump two years ago but now they are also back where
they originally were and a couple of other places too. Even got some on the
allotment, probably from stuff I put in the compost bin!

We actually have some posh named ones on order from...

http://www.pheasantacreplants.co.uk/

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

In article , says...


We actually have some posh named ones on order from...

http://www.pheasantacreplants.co.uk/

Mmmm, I might have to have some of those, especially Green Star.

Janet.

On 09/10/2013 18:15, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Janet" wrote



if you're reading this, I'd just like to thank you for promoting the
glory of the vulgar gladioli. Yes, those huge, exotically OTT flower
spikes in dazzling colours and ruffles beloved of oldfashioned florists
gardeners and allotmenters, garden shows etc.

From childhood memory I'd always considered gladioli as one of those
tender fusspots that needs to be lifted, dried and dusted and replanted
after frosts, far too much faff for my "do or die" garden. I'd tried
several of the small-flowered, supposedly hardy gladioli nanus and
byzantium but they weren't....shy to flower even once, and far from
being hardy, just peter out to grassy leaves then nothing.

A few years back I saw in a Shed, corms of the large-flowered Dame Edna
kind including (irresistible to me) velvety Black Star

http://tinyurl.com/nkbkvfw

The corms are so ridiculously throw-away cheap I bought a bag and
planted them in clumps as exotic annuals. I was surprised how stunning
they look en masse, how long they flower, and that slugs don't trouble
them. Come autumn I abandoned them to die back, expecting winter rain
and cold to save the trouble of a funeral; especialy, as they were in
the cold-northfacing windiest side of the garden. The following year, I
bought a couple more bags and planted them. But to my surprise, by June
the first planting popped back up in full force with babies in tow. The
youngsters flower a bit later than the parents which is useful.

Those originals have just finished their third highly floriferous year
(and as cut flowers won a prize at the local show). The second lot have
lasted two, and I'm hooked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6701041...127084/in/set-
72157636350663755

(no name, these were mislabelled by B and Q as Velvet Eyes)

They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.


I have never dug them up for winter protection since I first tried to
grow them and lost the lot by doing so. They were originally a mixed
bunch from a GC decades ago and although they were different colours it
seems only two varieties have survived over the years, but how they have
survived! I moved them into one large clump two years ago but now they
are also back where they originally were and a couple of other places
too. Even got some on the allotment, probably from stuff I put in the
compost bin!

We actually have some posh named ones on order from...

http://www.pheasantacreplants.co.uk/

I planted a row around 4 years ago, left them in but they were swamped
with weeds and the ground was wet, but they kept coming, I rotovated
them in and did the same last year and this, a stray bulb must have
stuck to the Rotavator and dropped off later giving me this lone flower.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...psd0dbf48b.jpg
David @ a damp side of Swansea bay

On 09/10/2013 13:59, Janet wrote:
In article ,
says...
They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.

Janet.





They all look great, Janet, but I especially love the G.Black Star.
Amazing colour!

Years ago, I also grew gladioli. Some of the leaves were spoiled
(marked and holey), but they flowered. The following year, no flowers
but lots of grassy foliage. I left the corms in, hoping they would
increase to flowering size, but they didn't. I spent a couple of years
pulling the grassy leaves up to get rid of them. I then sulked and
bought no more :~((.

That's exactly what I found with several attempts with G byzantium and
nanus, proclaimed to be "hardier". NBG.



Glad it's not just me, then. Pity, as I admire some of the nanus types.



So the question is: how do you keep them as flowering-size corms? Is
your soil lighter than mine (heavy clay despite 32yrs improving it)?, do
you plant them extra deep?, or feed/starve them ... or what?

I garden on deep sandy loam, haven't found the bottom yet as the
deepest hole we've dug (pond) was only a metre. It's very high rainfall
here (west coast of Scotland), but free draining. I plant every kind of
bulb/corm 6 inches deep to defeat the pheasants' dustbath-excavations.

I fed the glads with a surface scattering of pelleted chicken manure in
summer; and in winter the whole garden gets mulched with raw seaweed
straight off the beach.

Janet




Thanks for that, Janet. Obviously, I'm not going to change my heavy
clay for sandy loam, so I may have to try a raised bed. Not sure that
won't look a bit 'awkward' for the bigger glads, but we'll see. I will
also try the deeper planting, perhaps on a bed of grit. I'm quite fond
of pelleted chicken manure and will use that. I haven't tried a seaweed
feed yet (can't easily get the real thing here), but keep hearing great
things about it, so will give that a go, too.

Must start hunting down some handsome glads to plant, starting with
'Black Star'. I would hate to appear cormless ;~).
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

"Janet" wrote

BobH says...


We actually have some posh named ones on order from...

http://www.pheasantacreplants.co.uk/

Mmmm, I might have to have some of those, especially Green Star.


That is one I have on order. :-)
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"David Hill" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Janet" wrote



if you're reading this, I'd just like to thank you for promoting the
glory of the vulgar gladioli. Yes, those huge, exotically OTT flower
spikes in dazzling colours and ruffles beloved of oldfashioned florists
gardeners and allotmenters, garden shows etc.

From childhood memory I'd always considered gladioli as one of those
tender fusspots that needs to be lifted, dried and dusted and replanted
after frosts, far too much faff for my "do or die" garden. I'd tried
several of the small-flowered, supposedly hardy gladioli nanus and
byzantium but they weren't....shy to flower even once, and far from
being hardy, just peter out to grassy leaves then nothing.

A few years back I saw in a Shed, corms of the large-flowered Dame Edna
kind including (irresistible to me) velvety Black Star

http://tinyurl.com/nkbkvfw

The corms are so ridiculously throw-away cheap I bought a bag and
planted them in clumps as exotic annuals. I was surprised how stunning
they look en masse, how long they flower, and that slugs don't trouble
them. Come autumn I abandoned them to die back, expecting winter rain
and cold to save the trouble of a funeral; especialy, as they were in
the cold-northfacing windiest side of the garden. The following year, I
bought a couple more bags and planted them. But to my surprise, by June
the first planting popped back up in full force with babies in tow. The
youngsters flower a bit later than the parents which is useful.

Those originals have just finished their third highly floriferous year
(and as cut flowers won a prize at the local show). The second lot have
lasted two, and I'm hooked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/6701041...127084/in/set-
72157636350663755

(no name, these were mislabelled by B and Q as Velvet Eyes)

They've been in flower since August and later stems have enough buds
for another fortnight unless today's storm snaps their heads off; I've
brought a vaseful indoors just in case, possums.


I have never dug them up for winter protection since I first tried to
grow them and lost the lot by doing so. They were originally a mixed
bunch from a GC decades ago and although they were different colours it
seems only two varieties have survived over the years, but how they have
survived! I moved them into one large clump two years ago but now they
are also back where they originally were and a couple of other places
too. Even got some on the allotment, probably from stuff I put in the
compost bin!

We actually have some posh named ones on order from...

http://www.pheasantacreplants.co.uk/

I planted a row around 4 years ago, left them in but they were swamped with
weeds and the ground was wet, but they kept coming, I rotovated them in and
did the same last year and this, a stray bulb must have stuck to the
Rotavator and dropped off later giving me this lone flower.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...psd0dbf48b.jpg

Then it deserves to be dug up and planted somewhere decent. :-)
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK