DAME Edna Everage, the alter ego of Australian comedian Barry Humphries, who died earlier this year, was famous for brandishing armfuls of cut gladiolus. With gusto, she/he would throw them into the audience. This did much to bring the flower to the attention of the wider public. As a student at RHS Wisley, I spent three months working with trials of gladioli – new varieties assessed both for garden and exhibition quality. When you spend such a concentrated amount of time with one type of plant, you come to either love it or hate it – and for me, it was the former. The long spires of vibrant colour from these South African plants have always pleased and intrigued me, in equal measure. Let’s take a closer look.
Gladiolus by type
IN catalogues, you will find gladioli (now known as ); and in the Species group you will discover the one-off and beautiful species gladioli.
