Gladiolus Glamourglad Flevo Cool - Sword Lily

The Gladiolus 'Flevo Cool' is a new variety of hybrid gladiolus that is not very tall, bearing very large pastel flowers with delicate colours, easy to combine with romantic blooms or even grasses. The strong stems withstand the wind and carry dense spikes at their top, adorned with flowers that mix two shades of lilac around a white throat speckled with purple. The flowering takes place over many weeks in summer, if bulbs are planted every 15 days. 

Cultivated gladioli are hybrids, they belong to the iridaceae family. They are divided into 3 main groups: Grandiflorus (large-flowered), Primulinus (early) and Nanus (butterflies). 'Flevo Cool' belongs to the Grandiflorus group, but also to a new series of compact hybrids, which often do not require staking, selected for their remarkable colours. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that stands out for the astonishing and subtle shades of its flowering. The leaves are wide, sword-shaped, arranged in a fan shape and form a clump that can reach 80cm in height. The leaves are topped by an inflorescence in spike form, with funnel-shaped flowers, measuring 10 cm (4in) long, tightly packed on thin and sturdy stems. They are subtly coloured, composed of thick petals. The storage organ is a corm, which is a swollen stem with scales. 

Gladioli and their long coloured stems are a symbol of the 70s and somewhat formal floral arrangements. While they are irreplaceable in bouquets, in gardens, their silhouette appreciates the presence of plants with lush foliage that will enhance their rich and wildly romantic flowering. For a romantic atmosphere, plant 'Flevo Cool' alongside old roses, perennials, or dahlias, playing with a range of colours, and add some grasses to your flower bed. Gladioli are often found in vegetable gardens, where they accompany the vegetables right up to the kitchen table. For making bouquets, cut the flower stems when the first floret starts to open. Plant them at intervals of two weeks from early spring until the end of June to have flowers in the house and garden all summer long.

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