Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus

Beautiful! Love it against the dark background.

Me too, Sticki...

Thank you ladies!

Not usually a gladiolus fan but I quite like this one :o)

Me neither, but I was quite taken with it when I saw it in a garden a couple of years ago. I like the fact that it's an early bloomer too.

...and...it's byzantine...not at all frilly!!

It's lovely , is it early Meanie mine are only peeping through at the moment !

I don't like glads much either..but pictured like that as a specimen, it is quite a plant.

I shan't dare put photos of mine on this year after hearing those comments ,a friend bought me loads of bulbs for my birthday as a surprise I've no idea what they will be like , I'll keep it a secret and not put pics on here !!

Amy - it's an early blooming species. It would be early if it were one of the more common species/varieties.
Don't let P/nel, PA or me put you off with our prejudices - we're all different.

That said, I do agree with you Pimpernel!!

I get attracted to plants as they are in this picture so i have a real mixture in my garden, just things i like!!! [and that will grow in acidic shady gardens] thats most likely why i dont have a wonderful planting scheme ~ i just put them in where there is a space. if i think they will look good in a photo i definitely have them on my list or in the garden [if they are not too expensive]

If you think about it Amy..it's us that don't care fore them that are odd. Plants as popular as Glads have to have something going for them...I think it could be the way they are planted usually that does it.

Besides that, just to show you what a hypocrite I am, I have planted the Peacock orchid..or to give it it's real name Gladiolus acidanthera...!!!!

To tell the truth I was never that keen ,it's only this last year after they had been thrust upon me that I have grown any at all ,my friend would be upset if she could see that I hadn't grown them when she came to visit .......

i must admit not much for glads either but i got a pack of 50 free with a bulb order so i planted them to see what happens... nice one there Meanie...

I'm much like Sticki - I do select some plants simply because I think that they photograph well!

I'm trying Acidanthera again this year as well P/nel - struggled with them the last few years.

It's worth looking out for Surreylad.

oh those are beautiful meanie, i hope you succeed, you too pimms

They are where the cat keeps sitting Sticki..She's breaking them as soon as they appear.

oh no!! i found a new little plant snapped off today [i think it might be that peruvian bluebell] Im going to put a cut off plastic bottle round it to protect it ~ could you do that??

Not really I put 30 in so hopefully one at least will make it.

i hope so too!!

The Acidanthera Meanie needs full sun i found last year,,,

I wont try that one then!

found out by trial and error Sticki, the ones in part shade and dapple shade no flowers, ones in full sun were ok, ones in pots in full sun full of flowers...

thanks for doing the trials for us!!

Lol :-)

And lots of water too SL...............

yes :-)