Gladiolus tristis
Archive entry 29.03.15
Archive entry 11.04.21
Archive entry 03.04.22
21st April 2006
A winter growing species from South Africa which has flowered here in March and April. The scented flowers are quite wonderful when most of the bulbs in pots are hovering around dormancy.
The leaves are very long and thin, and start to grow in autumn. The flower spikes are almost insignificant until the buds open.
25th March 2015
10th April 2021
Over the years it has wandered around between pots in a way that perplexes me. I haven't seen it set seed but is still appears in strange places, perhaps I have been re-using old potting compost
but I am still perplexed (and very pleased).