Gladiolus Vandohla - Sword Lily

Gladiolus Vandohla is a remarkably colourful hybrid variety with large flowers that combine fuchsia pink, magenta red, and white. This tall plant bears beautifully frilly flowers that cluster together on perfectly formed spikes. With its vibrant colour and perfect flowers, this gladiolus is a beautiful cut flower. In the garden, it adds height and colour to flower borders.

Cultivated gladioli, belonging to the Iridaceae family, are hybrid plants. They are divided into three main groups: Grandiflorus (large flowers), Primulinus (early flowering), and Nanus (butterfly types). 'Vandohla' belongs to the first group. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with wide sword-shaped leaves arranged in a fan shaped clump that reaches 1.10m (4ft) to 1.20m (4ft) high when in flower, under favourable conditions. The leaves are topped by a dense flower spike of 10cm (4in) wide funnel-shaped flowers on sturdy stems. 10 to 12 flowers open simultaneously on the flower spike. The petals are distinctly tricoloured: the petals are fuchsia pink and the wide throat is deep magenta red, bordered by white. The storage organ of the gladiolus is a corm, which is a swollen stem with scales. To enjoy flowers throughout the summer, plant your corms at 15-day intervals from March to May-June.

Gladioli and their long colourful flower spikes are symbolic of the 1970s and slightly formal floral arrangements. While they are irreplaceable in bouquets, in gardens they benefit from the presence of lush foliage or delicate flowers that will enhance their abundant flowering. Plant 'Vandohla' gladiolus corms among clumps of blue, white, or red salvias, pink daylilies, and forget-me-nots, or ornamental grasses such as Stipa or 'squirreltail grass' (Hordeum jubatum). They are commonly found in cottage gardens, where they accompany vegetables. For cut flowers, cut the spikes when the first floret starts to open. Plant them at two-week intervals from early spring until the end of June to bring flowers to the house and garden all summer long.

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