Gladiolus Nymph - Sword Lily

The Gladiolus colvillei 'Nymph' is a variety of dwarf gladiolus whose hardiness allows for year-round outdoor cultivation in our climate, provided it is well mulched in winter. This bulb typically produces spikes adorned with white star-shaped flowers, bearing delicate cherry pink tear-shaped spots with a pale yellow centre, usually in late spring. A rarely planted hybrid in gardens, it has a great chance of changing the perception of detractors who often consider this plant too stiff and artificial. Charming, natural, and graceful, it integrates much better than the larger hybrids into romantic or slightly wildflower beds.

The genus Gladiolus belongs to the iris family, and cultivated varieties are hybrids divided into three main groups: Grandiflorus (large-flowered), Primulinus (early-flowering), and Nanus (butterfly). Gladiolus colvillei is the first known hybrid in cultivation, obtained in England in 1823 through the cross-breeding of Gladiolus cardinalis and G. tristis. It is part of the gladiolus characterized by relatively small flowers irregularly arranged on tall stems 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in), each bearing up to 10 florets. The lower petal of each star-shaped flower has a darker central zone.

'Nymph' is an old cultivar of this Colville hybrid, introduced to the market in 1914 but still cultivated for its delicacy. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with thin, very dark green, sword-shaped leaves arranged in a fan shape, forming a tuft of about 50 cm (20in) high. Flowering occurs in June. The leaves are topped by an inflorescence in a spike with up to 6 buds, each flower having six petals, 5 cm (2in) in diameter, resembling miniature lilies and carried by very slender stems. The flowers gradually open from bottom to top, in groups of 4, forming elegant flower spikes. The storage organ is a corm, a swollen stem with scales. Each corm will produce 2 or 3 flower spikes.

Gladiolus and their long, colourful spikes symbolise the 70s and somewhat formal floral arrangements. The dwarf gladiolus 'Nymph' is far from this archetype and fits nicely into simple perennial flower beds without requiring staking. It pairs well with ground-cover roses (such as The Fairy, Knock Out), small grasses (Stipa pennata or tenuifolia), forget-me-nots, penstemons, and perennial flax. Play with bright pink and red for brilliance, and add silver foliage (Stachys, artemisias) or purple (Panicum Sangria) here and there. For bouquet arrangements, cut the flower spikes 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.

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