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Ping Dame Edna Everage
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. |
Ping Dame Edna Everage
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 |
Ping Dame Edna Everage
|
Ping Dame Edna Everage
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. |
Ping Dame Edna Everage
"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 |
Ping Dame Edna Everage
|
Ping Dame Edna Everage
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 |
Ping Dame Edna Everage
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 |
Ping Dame Edna Everage
"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 |
Ping Dame Edna Everage
"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 |
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