Dwarf Gladiolus Collection

This is a collection of dwarf gladioli, shorter than their large-flowered cousins, but also more resistant to cold. It consists of the pretty varieties 'Elvira' and 'Charm', renowned for the delicacy and beauty of their flowers, in shades of pink to white. The bulbs can remain in the ground in many regions, with good winter mulching. They look beautiful everywhere: in a vase, in a flower bed, in borders, and in pots! Offer them a fresh but well-drained soil, and a sunny exposure.

This collection consists of:

- 'Elvira' Colvillei gladioli: an old variety, 70-80 cm (28-32in) tall when in bloom, with very pale pink flowers adorned with small dark pink diamond-shaped motifs on the lower petals. Up to 6 buds per flower spike, and 2 or 3 flower spikes per corm. The flowers generally bloom in July (sometimes as early as June), along rather tall flower spikes for a dwarf gladiolus.

- 'Charm' gladioli: reaching a height of 65 cm (26in) when in bloom, this variety produces one or several inflorescences. The small-sized flowers are brightly colored, in cherry pink washed with purple-pink, with the lower sepal speckled with white near the throat. Blooms in July.

These varieties are labelled separately.

Cultivated gladioli, belonging to the family Iridaceae, are hybrid plants. They are divided into 3 main groups: Grandiflorus (large-flowered), Primulinus (early), and Nanus (butterflies). 'Elvira' and 'Charm' both belong to the Nanus group. These hybrids are characterised by smaller flowers, irregularly arranged on stems not exceeding 70 cm (28in) in height, each bearing up to 7 florets quite spaced apart. The lower petal of each star-shaped flower has a darker or lighter central zone. They are herbaceous perennial plants. These gladioli are also known for their cold resistance, up to -12°C (10.4°F) under protective mulch. The leaves are elongated, sword-shaped, with parallel veins, 3-4 cm (1-2in) wide, arranged in a fan shape.  The gladiolus grows in spring and dries up at the end of summer.

Shorter and more refined than the large hybrids with big flowers, the dwarf 'Elvira' and 'Charm' gladioli easily fit into simple perennial or low shrub borders, often without needing staking. Their pink and white blooms go well with groundcover roses (The Fairy, Mareva, Opalia), small grasses (Stipa pennata or tenuifolia), catmints, penstemons, perennial salvias, and Diascia, for example. Play with the vivid blue of perennial flax and the delicate pink of baby's breath for brightness, and add here and there some silver foliage (stachys, cotton lavenders, artemisias). For making bouquets, cut the flower spikes when the first floret starts to open. Plant them at intervals of two weeks from early spring to the end of June to have flowers in the house and garden all summer.

 
The gladiolus gets its name from 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 Semitic people before the Christian era.