Gladiolus Frozen Sparks - Sword Lily

The Gladiolus colvillii 'Frozen Sparks' is a variety of hybrid gladiolus that is still difficult to find in horticultural trade. It stands out from other so-called dwarf selections with relatively tall flower stalks and its large, sparkling flowers in white touched with purplish pink. They typically bloom as early as June, along flower stalks surrounded by thin foliage gathered in a basal tuft. This gladiolus has a good chance of winning over detractors of this plant, often considered too rigid and artificial looking, without disappointing fans of chic bouquets. As sparkling as it is elegant, it blends well with other plants in the garden and resists better, in open ground, your not too harsh winters.

The genus Gladiolus belongs to the Iridaceae family, cultivated varieties are hybrids classified into 3 main groups: Grandiflorus (large-flowered), Primulinus (early) and Nanus (butterflies). The Gladiolus colvillii is the first known hybrid in cultivation, obtained in England in 1823, by crossing the Gladiolus cardinalis with the G. tristis. In this group, the flowers are rather small, irregularly arranged on stems bearing up to 10 florets. The lower petal of each flower, star-shaped, has a darker central zone.

'Frozen Sparks', registered in 2017, is a very different cultivar, which has inherited from its ancestor Gladiolus tristis a beautiful stature and large pointed-petal flowers. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, with thin, very dark green sword-shaped leaves, arranged in a fan shape and forming a tuft 40 cm (16in) high. The leaves are topped by one to three spikes, 85 cm (34in) tall. The flowers with 6 unequal petals measure approximately 7 cm (3in) in diameter. They resemble small lilies and are closely arranged on slender stems. The flowers open gradually from bottom to top and form beautiful flower stalks. The storage organ is a corm, which is a swollen stem with scales. Each corm will produce 2 or 3 flower stalks.

Gladioli and their long colourful flower stalks are emblematic of the 70s and slightly stiff floral arrangements. While they are irreplaceable in bouquets, in gardens, their silhouette needs the presence of plants with lush foliage or airy flowers that will showcase their abundant but romantically wild blooming. Far from this archetype, the Gladiolus colvillii 'Frozen Sparks' fits in simple perennial beds. It pairs well with ground cover roses ('The Fairy', 'Larissa'), small grasses (Stipa pennata or tenuifolia), forget-me-nots or penstemons for example. Play with the vibrant blue of perennial flax and the soft pink of baby's breath for brilliance, and add here and there some silver foliage (stachys, artemisia). For making bouquets, cut the flower stalks when the first floret starts to open. Plant them at two-week intervals from early spring to late June to have flowers in the house and garden all summer long.

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