7 gladioli with exceptional flowering to brighten your garden

Gladiolus × grandiflorus ‘Purple Flora’

The Gladiolus ‘Purple Flora’ undoubtedly makes a striking impression with its extraordinary colour. Throughout the summer, from July to September, it produces large flowering spikes, borne on flowering stems reaching up to 1 metre in height. The funnel-shaped flowers measure about 10 cm and reveal an intense velvety purple colour, unusual in the garden. This large-flowered hybrid variety is a recent gladiolus that clearly deserves a place in our outdoor spaces.

‘Purple Flora’ is an elegant variety that will bring charm and vertical interest to the garden. It will sit easily in a contemporary-style garden, which places emphasis on geometric lines and dark colours, for a striking contrast that will not leave anyone indifferent; pair the violet of this gladiolus with yellow blooms, which are complementary to it on the colour wheel. Add ornamental grasses to bring a welcome touch of lightness. For a softer and more discreet look, favour pairing with white flowers or pastel shades.

Choose a sunny position for these gladioli, in soil rich in organic matter but well-drained to prevent water from stagnating.

We recommend planting the gladiolus corms (their storage organ resembling a bulb) in a staggered pattern to enjoy a long-lasting flowering throughout the summer.

Gladiolus x grandiflorus 'Traderhorn'

The large-flowered gladiolus ‘Traderhorn’ is a scarlet-flowered variety that will catch the eye in the garden. It flowers late, from the end of summer to the start of autumn, with funnel-shaped blooms arranged in dense, compact spikes. Their bright red colour is simply softened by a white throat. The petals are slightly crimped along their edges, adding a touch of delicacy. The broad green foliage, forming a dense, lush fan, provides a true backdrop to this flowering.

Expect 80 cm in height when in bloom. It will integrate beautifully into your borders or bouquets. To create an exotic ambience with warm colours, pair ‘Traderhorn’ with Crocosmias and Kniphofias. Complete the display with plants bearing lush foliage.

A little hardier than many of its congeners, it will tolerate temperatures down to around -6°C in well-drained soil. It can therefore remain in the ground in regions with mild, not-too-wet winters.

Gladiolus x grandiflorus ‘Princess Margaret Rose’

The Gladiolus ‘Princess Margaret Rose’ bears a somewhat grand name, but it is true that this variety is particularly refined. This hybrid gladiolus rewards us with surprisingly colourful flowers, with golden-yellow petals edged in brick red and highlighted by a salmon-pink heart. The petals also have the peculiarity of being frilled, which seems to create further colour nuances depending on the light. A multicolour variety that will make a splash in the garden!

The flowers are borne on sturdy stems reaching 80 cm in height.

To create a romantic setting, plant ‘Princess Margaret Rose’ alongside heritage roses in pastel tones. Add foxtail lilies ‘Romance’ or ‘White Beauty Favourite’, whose spike-like flowering will bring a touch of lightness.

Gladiolus nanus 'Prins Claus'

The Gladiolus nanus ‘Prins Claus’ is a real work of art. This dwarf variety reaches just 70 cm tall when flowering. The foliage, consisting of sword-shaped leaves, forms a small tuft about 40 cm across.

Between June and July, this gladiolus unveils spikes of small flowers about 5 cm long, bearing a pure white that is particularly refined. But its standout feature lies mainly in the cherry-pink markings that adorn its lower petals and seem almost painted on.

Because of its compact habit, this gladiolus will be perfect for creating attractive summer pots, in a pretty harmony of rose and white. To do this, grow it alongside other summer bulbs, such as the dainty Oxalis triangularis, with their pink flowering and ornamental purple foliage. Add an Agapanthus africanus ‘Albus’, Freesia or Dwarf Dahlias. Finish with low grasses to air the whole.

Another advantage of this variety: it proves fairly hardy for the genus, able to withstand frosts down to -9°C. In areas where winters are harsh, container growing will allow you to bring this gladiolus variety indoors to shelter from heavy frosts. You can also lift the corms to keep them in a frost-free place.

Gladiolus primulinus 'Las Vegas'

The Gladiolus primulinus ‘Las Vegas’ is a small-flowered variety with spectacular flowering. Its bi-colour flowering will inevitably bring gaiety and vitality to your flower beds, bouquets or pots. Throughout the summer, from July to September, it produces flowering stems bearing spikes of bright yellow flowers edged with orange-red. A particularly warm colour, which will harmonise perfectly with the colours of the summer season. The flowers have 3 petals and 3 sepals, of which one naturally curves upwards. The flowering contrasts with the slender and graphic foliage, displaying a fairly dark green.

The relatively slender stems of this gladiolus reach only 60 cm in height, but are just as sturdy as those of its congeners and can do without staking. This compact variety will fit in anywhere, whether in the garden or on a terrace or balcony. To ensure a long flowering period throughout the summer, keep the soil moist (not waterlogged) and stagger plantings.

This gladiolus is certainly not among the most discreet in the genus, and that is why we love it! Choose for it lush foliage and softer flowering. Lilies, perennial potentillas and daylilies will make good companions for the sparkling ‘Las Vegas’.

Gladiolus carneus 'Albidus'

The Gladiolus carneus‘Albidus’ is a species native to South Africa, less well known than other gladioli. It is distinguished by its funnel-shaped flowers with very fine petals, which reveal a pale pink shade enhanced by a darker carmine-pink throat. This delicately flowering display brings a touch of elegance, never over the top.

The flowering period will vary according to the climate of cultivation: in the milder southern regions, it will occur from the end of spring. In the Loire’s northern regions, it will reveal itself in summer. The plant will then reach a height of 40 to 50 cm with a 20 cm spread.

Another feature lies in its better drought tolerance, which makes it a gladiolus suited to Mediterranean regions. It will look wonderful in a natural-style border, alongside annual salvias and yarrow. Of course, it is also an ideal candidate for refined summer bouquets.

‘Albidus’ grows in well-drained soil, even sandy and loamy, and in full sun exposure.

Gladiolus × grandiflorus 'Butterfly Lorena'

It’s true that Gladiolus ‘Butterfly Lorena’ could be mistaken in the garden for those pretty, colourful butterflies! Its flowering is as colourful as it is striking, sure to attract attention in the garden. This variety features multicoloured flowers: the white petals and sepals are all highlighted with fuchsia pink, while two lateral petals reveal yellow, orange and reddish maculations at their centres. The flowers, fairly large, measure up to 8 cm in length and invariably have an upturned upper petal. Light in appearance, they almost seem ready to take flight in a real colour ballet. Generous and long-flowering, this gladiolus enchants the entire summer, from July to September.

The fine, elegant foliage, meanwhile, provides a green-grey colour.

Fairly tall, the stems of Gladiolus ‘Butterfly Lorena’ reach almost 1 metre in height when in bloom. This variety, not commonly found in gardens, will bring colour and originality to your bouquets, borders and large pots. Gaura, loosestrifes and agastaches will make good companions for a very natural look.