[John]

I have had this plant of Gladiolus flanaganii now for three years and it was only when I potted it up into a 2 litre pot last year that it decided to flower for me and is bulking up really fast. It was from Jim and Jenny Archibald under their collection number 3261000 collected south of the Sani Pass in the Drakensberg. It's common name "suicide gladioli" is said to refer to it's preferred habitat of cliffs where attempts to collect it, or it's seed can lead to death! In the UK it is certainly frost tolerant. I presume that it's grown in the Med?

[John]

Truly hardy Gladiolus are relatively few in number. Many gardens in the UK have grown G. byzantinus (1st picture.) which is very much like an attractive larger form of the common wild Gladiolus of the Med, G. italicus.
From South Africa G. papilio has been in cultivation for a long time and almost certainly contributed to the development of the complex large flowered hybrids. I knew it for many years as the sombre but interesting grey mauve flower which hangs it's head (2nd picture.).
About three years ago I acquired from Avon bulbs a totally different colour form called G. p 'Ruby' (3rd picture) which is otherwise similar to the typical form but a deep ruby red.
Two years ago on a trip up to the lake district I came across G. p 'David Hills' (4th picture) which is a much stronger grower and very prolific with it's offsets. It is a warm but paler red with a yellow throat.
The last two came through last winter sat outside in pots which were frozen for several days with no damage at all.

[Alisdair]

The non-native gladioluses which do best in mediterranean climates are the ones which come from the winter-rainfall parts of South Africa. One which is a favourite with many mediterranean gardeners, for its delicacy and the purity of its creamy white flowers, is Gladiolus tristis. In the wild, this often grows in marshy spots; it is perfectly happy drying out completely in summer, and facing high temperatures then, and does best in places that get plenty of winter rain. Here it is growing in our hot Greek garden, in fairly heavy red clay, and getting some shade from surrounding shrubs. It grows just as well in another part of the garden in full sun, but the flowers there fade more quickly. Depending on the season, it flowers for us around March, but in cooler gardens won't flower until June:
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A more exotic gladiolus which also does well on clay is [/i]Gladiolus uysiae[/i] - one of those flowers which really deserves a close-up look, for the intricacy of its markings and shadings. It's quite a small plant, growing to only a few inches in height. The picture below is of some in a pot under glass in the UK, where I have been bulking them up to take out to Greece:
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Rather similar but usually a little taller, up to a foot or so, is Gladiolus watermeyeri; another of those "what's that!" really unusual flowers.
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[pamela]

Some of those are wonderful!  thanks for sharing

[Alisdair]

John mentioned that Gladiolus flanaganii lives on cliffs.
Here's another South African cliff-dweller, Gladiolus carmineus. It grows along the coast; the original corms that were given to me were grown from seed collected at Hermanus.
It flowers very early in the autumn, before the leaves appear. This first flower, shown here, opened this morning, under glass in the UK. I keep it completely dry during summer, and have been bulking up the corms in the hope of taking them out to our Greek garden at the end of summer, but so far every year it has defeated this intention, by starting into growth so very early, even though it is completely dry. This year the new shoots were already visible in July. This behaviour seems very unusual to me, as most summer-dry South African bulbs and corms can be held dormant by keeping them warm and dry, obediently starting into growth only when (cooled by) being watering.
But as it flowers so early we wouldn't see it anyway in Greece, as we don't go out until gardening starts in the autumn - so it's nice to have this little beauty here.

[ezeiza]

Gladiolus tristis is a superb parent for hybrids. You have the "Homoglads", hybrids of G. tristis and G. priorii or G. huttonii. These should be super plants for a Mediterranean garden. Flowers re large, last for one month or more and every one seems to be different in those gorgeous terracotta, cream, yellow, salmon, brown, etc. shades. Should flower the second year from seed. Besides, they also set abundant seed for further production of additional colors.

[John]

Gladiolus carinatus which I grew from seed many years ago. It produces masses of cormlets and not many flowers though it is in a pot which may be limiting. Originally it was a true blue colour but in recent years it has only produced these soft mauve coloured flowers which are quite small. I am fairly confident that I only have one clone which makes the colour change surprising unless it is cultural. One of it's best features is the scent which is knock out. By that I mean really sweet and fills the greenhouse.

[Alisdair]

Nice gentle colour, John. Are your other flowers from this seed lot in the blues range, or are they in the yellow/pinks which also occur?

[John]

No. To my knowledge the whole pot is one clone and as I said when it flowered in the past it was a true blue colour. I could either be wrong and have ended up with a different clone. A mutation may have taken over or my method of cultivation has changed and caused this colour. The seed came from Kirstenbosch and was acquired for me (through contacts) by a member of the HPS as I mentioned it would be nice to go back to the species to produce some new hybrids. I knew this species occurred in a real blue colour but hadn't allowed for it's flowering time which is in early spring being a winter grower and therefor flowering would not coincide with the more garden worthy species for Britain!

[fragman]

Gladioli are just starting, I enjoy now Gladiolus alatus in my balcony.

[Rafa]

Super picture Ori, from one of the species that I prefer of the third desirable genus to me!!. Here it is blooming G. splendens and in few days G. stellatus. I will try to post some pics

[Alisdair]

Gladiolus orchidiflorus (from Jim and Jenny Archibald seed) opened yesterday, under glass here in the UK. My picture doesn't really do justice to the rich texture of the flower, which is what merits its "orchid flower" name.
Gladiolus uysiae and watermeyeri both over a week or two ago.

[John]

Is anyone using these interesting species in a breeding programme?

[Alisdair]

Here's another that has just started flowering. It was given to me some years ago as G. jonquilodorus, but I don't think it is that rarity, as that has rather hooded flowers. Looks more like Gladiolus tristis to me.

[ezeiza]

Yes, the cylindrical grooved leaves are typcal.