60 Harlequin Gladioli Collection

We have created a collection of 60 Gladioli in Harlequin attire, composed of the varieties 'Flevo Cool', 'Espresso', and 'Cream Perfection'. Their large flowers gathered in generous spikes create a stunning blend of soft and pastel tones, cream and lilac with a touch of pink and purple, contrasted with the power and richness of a dark red, almost black. With incomparable elegance in a vase, they are spectacular in summer borders. Provide them with moist but well-drained soil, and a sunny exposure.

This collection consists of:

- 20 'Espresso' gladioli: a new variety that reaches a height of 1m (3ft) to 1.2m (4ft) when in bloom, with flowers displaying an extremely dark and silky red hue, almost black. Its tall stems bear numerous black and pointed buds.

- 20 'Cream Perfection' gladioli: this novelty features beautifully pleated flowers, delicately cream-coloured, discreetly enhanced by a salmon-pink throat. They are tightly packed without jostling on perfectly formed spikes. Its flower stem rises 1m (3ft) from the ground.

- 20 'Flevo Cool' gladioli: its sturdy stems, reaching 80cm (32in) from the ground, bear very large pastel flowers with delicate colours, combining two shades of lilac around a white throat speckled with purple.

Individually labelled.

Cultivated gladioli, belonging to the Iridaceae family, are hybrid plants. They are divided into 3 major groups: Grandiflorus (large-flowered), Primulinus (early-blooming), and Nanus (butterflies). 'Espresso', 'Flevo Cool', and 'Cream Perfection' belong to the Grandiflorus group. The gladiolus is a perennial herbaceous plant with broad, sword-shaped leaves arranged in a fan shape, forming a clump of leaves that are topped by a dense spike inflorescence bearing large funnel-shaped flowers. The storage organ is a corm. It is a pseudo-bulb which is a swollen stem with scales. To enjoy flowers throughout the summer, plant your corms at intervals of 15 days, from March to May.

Gladioli and their long coloured stems are a symbol of the 70s and slightly formal floral arrangements. While they are irreplaceable in bouquets, in gardens, their silhouette needs the presence of plants with lush foliage that will enhance their wildly romantic flowers. Plant their corms among clumps of sage, tobacco, bee balm, and forget-me-nots, for example. Or among small ornamental grasses such as Stipa or blue fescues. They are regulars in cottage gardens, where they often accompany vegetables. For bouquet making, cut the flower spikes when the first floret begins to open. Plant them at two-week intervals from early spring until the end of June for flowers in the house and garden all summer.

The gladiolus owes its name to the shape of its sword-like leaves, derived from the Latin word 'gladius'. Its wild forms were often represented in jewellery or on carpets and fabrics made by the Semites before the Christian era.