Gladiolus grandiflorus Princess Margaret Rose - Sword Lily

Gladiolus 'Princess Margaret Rose' is a magnificent hybrid that can be seen from afar. Its large variegated flowers boast yellow petals with red edges and a salmon-pink heart. The edges of the petals are prettily fringed. Its stems are strong and stout, and covered with a multitude of buds. It is ideal as a cut flower. We deliver them in large size 14+ corms for the best flowering.

The genus Gladiolus belongs to the Iridaceae family. Gladioli originate from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. The most colourful gladiolus species come from South Africa. Cultivated gladioli are hybrids with large flowers, divided into 3 main groups: Grandiflorus (with large flowers), Primulinus (early), and Nanus (butterflies). 'Princess Margaret Rose' is part of the Grandiflorus group. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with corms (globose bulbs) and wide sword-shaped leaves arranged in a fan shape. It forms a clump 80cm (32in) tall. The leaves are topped by a spike-shaped inflorescence 40 to 50cm (16 to 20in) long, with funnel-shaped flowers, 10cm (4in) in diameter. They are arranged unilaterally and borne on sturdy stems. They are golden yellow, with a salmon-pink throat. The edges of the fringed petals are brick red.

Gladioli and their colourful flower stalks are a symbol of the 1970s and somewhat formal floral arrangements. While they are irreplaceable in bouquets, their silhouette in gardens needs the presence of plants with lush foliage that will enhance their flowers. Plant them in groups in beds with salvias, small grasses, linarias, monardas, wallflowers, and forget-me-nots to create large colourful bouquets. They are regulars in cottage gardens. For bouquets, cut the flower stalks 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.

Gladiolus gets its name from the shape of its sword-like leaves, derived from the Latin word gladius.

About botanical gladioli

Wild gladioli are far from the cultivated varieties with elaborate blooms. However, they are an interesting alternative for gardeners, and it is perfectly possible to welcome them in our gardens, as many of them originate from our temperate climates and are still very elegant.

The most common ones are Gladiolus byzantinus, with its pink-purple spring flowering, which naturalises itself, and Gladiolus x colvillei, which displays flowers in various colours that are usually marked with pink or red at the throat. Among the very hardy species that naturalise, there is Gladiolus communis from southern Europe, with pink flowers striped or speckled with white or red. Gladiolus illyricus, widespread from southern England to the Caucasus, forms superb spikes of magenta-violet flowers streaked with white. Gladiolus imbricatus has crimson-violet flowers with a very bright white spot highlighted with carmine purple.