Gladiolus

wanted to share this photo of my Gladiolus Dalenni ssp. Dalenii
soooooooooooooooooooo beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark

That should have said : Dalenii ssp. Dalenii

What a beautiful gladiolus!
Does this species bloom late?

Hey Zest

Its blooming now.....................Just about to finish!!!

Mark, did you grow yours from seed? I have some I grew last year from seed I got from van Dusen Botanical gardens in Vancouver. I have about 6, which I thought weren't going to grow again but did, they die back early when the bulb formed is small.

This year all but one is still a smallish, thin grassy leaf, though not as small as last year and are still green. The one that took off is in bud and won't be long opening. They can vary in colour, it will be interesting to compare.

Yours looks lovely! Have you any more Gladiolus species? I have ordered 14 different ones from silverhillseeds in Sth Africa.

Hey Wallaby

Nooooooooooo, A friend of mine in Cornwall that has a nursery sent me it a couple of years ago! It is the most gorgeous Gladiolus i have ever seen.........

wow, did you visit the van Dusen Gardens????????? or did they send you some??

Be interesting to see what it turns out like when it does flower............... hope the other thin grassy bits catch up next year......!!
Mine has lots of thin grassy bits in it................ but they all seem to survive so i just leave them to get on with it!! The Dalenii is a hardy Gladiolus, so i don't need to bother with it that much!

No, I dont really have many, just the dalenii and one called Papillio ( i think)..... which i have lots of!!! If you want some of that, let me know, you can have some with pleasure!!

Ahhhhh good old silverhills.......... i have had some crocosmia seeds from there before......

As you probably know......... that is my main love in life........... crocosmia crocosmia crocosmia!! LOL
I have put in for national collection status and am waiting for the next NCCPG meeting at Wisley........... they will decide thenm wether or not i get it!! The next meeting is 8th November.............. so not long now to wait!

Mark

Good luck with the Crocosmia! It's not my most favourite plant, but I do see some that grab my interest.

Van Dusen has a web site run buy volunteers, it would be impossible to find by searching for them, I found it by stumbling across a link when searching fo a plant once, many pages into a google. Anyone can buy seeds online, all you have to do is sign up for free.

http://vandusen.plantexplorers.com/privacy.php

I have some G papillio, they have made lots of baby bulbs, thanks for the offer. Perhaps dalenii does the same, hence your thin grassy bits. I moved mine to another pot to grow on.

You should look at some of the speices gladiolus, most of them are glorious!

I think you stand a huge chance of achieving National status for Crocosmia.

You never know Wallaby................. When/if i get the national collection of crocosmia i may start on a collection of species Gladiolus!!!!

Thank you so much for the link................ i have added it to my fav list and will have a good look later!!

Dalenii grows exactly the same as Papillio.............. its around the same size too!! Both have the thin grassy bits growing in them!

The NCCPG lady that came round to view them and fill in the forms etc, wrote in her comments box I HAVE NO HESITATION IN RECOMMENDING THIS COLLECTION FOR NATIONAL COLLECTION STATUS!! ETC ETC

so looks good i hope...............

Mark
PS are you actually in Lincoln or a village near??

I live 10 miles from the centre, off the A46 to Newark.

Let us know 'when' you get your nat. coll. status!

Oh cool.............. Not that far away then!!

Yep i will let you know.............. when/if i get it, no problem!!
It will be nice to have the national collection in lincolnshire.............. the only other one is in plymouth!!!

Yep, The African Garden.

You must really have your hands full with those, do you keep most in pots? Most Crocosmia do need to be replanted every so often as far as I'm aware, it must keep you well occupied!

I have had my mind concentrated on Gladiolus for some time, tinkering with the idea of collecting all the species I could. For now I have decided to go with the ones I really like, if I saw the rest in reality no doubt I would like those too! Start slowly and see what happens! After all these do need SPACE.

By the way, are you a total plant nut for other plants too? (like me)

Hi Wallaby

Yep........... thats him!! David Fenwick.............

Oh yes i certainly do have my hands full.................... Yep, most are in pots!!
They usually need dividing every couple years................ depends which ones they are...... keeps me very occupied!!

I have never thought about collecting gladiolus before............ never really seen any, except the common ones...........
Have to have a look into it................. see what the species ones are like!! How many species ones are there, doyou know????
Yes the other thing is space too.......... i agree!!!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes i love plants............... any plants!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are all beautiful in their own way!!!
Have a thing about geum and potentilla at the moment!! LOL

Mark

Wallaby if you send smoke signals i'll pass them on. (ok so i need a little poetic licence as i'm not quite in the middle of you two!)
Bit odd with 3 plant nuts so close together.
Good luck with the collection. I'm struggling to get rid of my crocosmia. The previous owner planted them all over (including the lawn)
Mike

Hiya Mike

Where are you then?????????????
Plants nuts all over the place..................LOL

Thank you the good luck wishes.............. What sort of crocosmia do you have all over the place?????????????????
In the Lawn???? LOL
They must have spread under the lawn, i doubt if anyone would plant them there.......... hahahahahahaha

Mark

I'm the A158 side of Lincoln about 10 miles out.
The crocosmia i have all over never get the chance to flower. The couple of clumps in the border where just leaves. Probably been there 20 years. I think the lawn ones where borders once. Most of the garden was ground elder when i moved in. Oh and mares tail, but that still lives on a little.

I don't really collect plants i just get excited about the way plants look.

This picture gives an overview of the first garden from the house, was taken a month ago so there is more colour now its rained again.

Mike

I'll drag up some site for you as a taster, I couldn't tell you eactly how many but Sth Africa has perhaps the most that I know of. Europe has a few, Britain also has at least one if I could remember which it is.

http://dip.sun.ac.za/~herbst/IBSA/Iridaceae/Gladiolus/

http://ag.arizona.edu/~daves/types.html

http://www.bulbsociety.org/GALLERY_OF_THE_WORLDS_BULBS/GRAPHICS/Gladiolus/Gladioluslist.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiolus

http://www.livingfynbos.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=thumbnails&album=73&page=2

http://www.badbear.com/signa/signa.pl?Gladiolus-alatus

http://www.mobot.org/mobot/webmo/2001/iridaceae.shtml

The UK native i think is G illyricus. Species are well under represented, and in my opinion far better than the hybrids. I haven't found anyone to be a collection holder. There is a Rupert Bowlby growing quite a few, he has a web site with other bulbs from Sth Africa and does sell some, but I think growing from seed is the best way to do it if the seed can be found.

Can someone whose never been to Lincolnshire join in *G*

Beautiful piccie Mark!

I also have an interest in S. African bulbous plants (and all things which congregate rightly or wrongly under that group), well actually bulbous plants in general and plants from S. America and S. hemishpere and European plants and far East, Asia and errrm I'm sure you understand what I mean.

I've all too many seed to sow this year and several Glad species, which are you growing Wallaby?

G. illyricus has it's last foothold in the UK right here in the New Forest however finding it in the wild is another matter. I spend weeks searching but it flowers under the bracken canopy and is so hard to spot. G. communis subsp. byzantinus is naturalised in some parts here as well.

I don't know if you are aware, if you are familair with The African Garden then maybe you are but there is a small group in the UK dedicated to S.A. bulbs. I'm still yet to fill in the form but if you want details you can find them under resources on Terry Smale's site.

Hi Mike

Wow, nice garden................... thank you for letting me see...........!!!

A158.......... I will have to look that up i think............. I dont go by the road numbers..... I would call it the lincoln to wherever road!! LOL
OMG Ground Elder and Mares Tail................... the two worst thing you can ever get........!!!! How did you kill off the ground elder, my next door but one has that and cant get rid!!! So some advice would be appreciated!!

All plants excite me too.................... but crocosmia most of all!!!

Mark

Hi Wallaby


Thank you so so much for the sites..................... I will have a look at them later today!!!

I didn't even know england had a species plant!!! I thought most were from S.A.

Just had a look in my NCCPG National plant collection list............ nobody holds a collection of Gladiolus....... unless they are called another name????
I know Ruper Bowlby, he has one or two Chasmanthe that i was looking for.......

Thanks again for the site list!!

Mark

Hiya Baa

Of course you can join in..............anyone welcome!! even southerners!! LOL

Thank you, I love that piccie..........

In other words, you too have an interest in all plants................. just like us really!!!!! LOL

G. Illyricus........... I don't know anything about...... i didn't even know it was a species plant from this country!! I am goin g to have to do some serious reading on Gladiolus!!
With crocosmia i have delved into the history......... I think i will have to do the same with Gladiolus!!

Yes i am aware Baa.......... you mean the S.A Bulb Group.......... I am a member of that group!! You should get your form filled in and join............LOL

Mark

What an interesting tread, did not know there were so many gladioluses.
I have only one of the common ones.
Will have to wait till I move to a bigger place to get some of the very pretty ones :o)

Hi Zest

Yes apparently there are quite a few................ i only really have the common ones myself......!!
What else do you grow in Denmark?????????????

Hi Mark,
How can I say it, let me start at the biggining, my DH warns people to be causios with that questions. Apperantly I never shut up when I start LOL ;o)))

I collec oxalis they are the reason I started to be interested in plants.
My interes is getting bigger, and would like a bigger variety plants, but at the moment I do not have much space. But enjoy looking in the DG and see how wonderfully every ones garden and plants are doing :o))

http://www.simplesite.com/oxalis/

Hi Baa, I came across Terry Smale's site recently while searching, he does have some interesting things. One plant in particular grabbed my attention, Crossyne flava. I thought one was enough to further clutter my already cluttered house with another plant, so I bought it, one of those instant decision things!

http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/image?query=%27crossyne+flava%27

This is his site if anyone wants it, ordering finished for this year.

http://www.smale1.demon.co.uk/index.htm

I have Gladiolus papilio, which is actually G papilio Purpureoauratus Group. The straight species I found on the first link above with all the pics, and it is mostly green, but most people sell the purple one as just G papilio. The other one just doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere else, perhaps a good book on the subject would be useful.

Others are G dalenii and G communis ssp byzantinus that I have.

Ordered from silverhill seeds. (still waiting on their final price!) the following:

alatus
brevifolius
caeruleus
carinatus
carneus
equitans
ferrugineus
fourcadei
gracilis
gaenzii
longicollis
meliusculus
recurvus
virescens var. virescens

Besides those I ordered Syncarpa vestita, Moraea tulbaghensis, Pelargonium tomentosum, Agapanthus inapertus pendulus (dark form), Eucomis vandermerwei, and Serruria florida which I had 2 of but they died, even though they germinated in January 05 after a hard frost and grew to a few inches tall, I will try again!

If you have any (illyricus?) that I don't have or will have, I would love to swap something else with you baa! If there are any seeds on my list I can reciprocate with I think they give 25 seeds a pack so could spare some.

Hi Zest

LOL..................... I don't mind you not shutting up about your garden.......... its fascinating to find out what is grown in other countries.........

Oxalis............... oh lovely!!!! They are i think what we call wood sorrell............??
Looks like you are going to have to find a bigger place then zest......... then you can really start collecting different things!!
I collect crocosmia.................. at the moment i have around 240sih varieties.......!!
Have you ever thought about collecting those?? LOL

Mark

Hey Wallaby

OMG i hope your garden can stand all those plants you have ordered..................LOL
You must have a garden the size of a field!!

You have really started me off now thinking about gladiolus..................

Mark

Not field, but 1/3 acre including a long drive and house and a huge conker tree! I still have space! It's the initial growing and nurturing that is a stumbling block, you wouldn't believe the amount of plants I have in pots and seed still to sow!

That doesn't stop me wanting more! I'm getting caught up with the back log, lots of potting on to do etc. etc., then new beds to be made. With the dry, hot weather this year watering takes priority. Luckily we had a couple of good rains lately, everything was drying out again before this last one!

I really don't understand why Glad species haven't been more popular, it's time to start an appreciation society! There can't be a more beautiful lot of species of a single genus.

This is G papilio Purp.

Hi Mark
You are correct, they are also known as wood sorrel.
Oh no crocosmia yet, was not sure what they were, just looke them up, they are BEAUTIFUL :o)))
240 varieties? No wonder you are a canditate to have a national collection status.
I do hope you get it :o))

Wallaby, that is really a nice glad, it doesn`t look like the common ones.

I guess this is the right place to ask. Is it normal that glad turn towards the sun? They were all turning “the wrong way”

Hiya Mark,
The A158 is the Lincoln to Skegness road.

Yeah ground elder is really easy to get rid of but you have to want rid of it. None of this half hearted spray it once with washing up liquid stuff!. Most of my customers that complain about Ground Elder are not real gardeners and just want a quick fix. Lol
Anyway just spray it with 90ml per litre of roundup or other Glyphosate salts type. Either respray in 2 weeks if its not died completely. Or wait until regrowth occurs in about 4 weeks but don't allow it to get taller than about 2inches. Respray and that should be it for that year. Sometimes you get a slight regrowth in autumn but you may need to finish it off the next spring.
I lost a few plants spraying that lot but its worth getting rid of the ground elder for good. really big plants can stand having there trunks and branches sprayed so don't worry to much.
Now mares tail seems to die off then come back over a year later in borders i got rid of it. So no advice on that one.
Still those crocosmia in my lawn are more of a pain! Lol. Think its due to them being monocots like grass and lawn weedkiller working on that to kill stuff. Think i need to try better lawn chems, like the ones that kill clover.

Sorry i've gone all boring. I'm into my chems too much. Got sprayed with pesticide the other week so it may have sent me strange Lol

Speak soon

Mike

Hi Wallaby

1/3 of an acre................ thats a decent size.!!! Oh cool a conker tree........... i wish i had one........... all i have are 2 huge sycamores, that drop those little helicopter things all over the place!!! Oh i would believe the amount of plants in pots etc you have.......... you should see mine!!! LOL

Doesn't stop me wanting more also.................... basically anything that takes my fancy i have to get........... although just recently i have been stopping myself....... getting far far to much!!!
I am just concentrating on my crocosmia at the moment........... thats enough for me!!

Yes its amazing how quickly stuff in pots dry out................ especially when its sunny and windy............ all summer i have been doing nothing but watering......... drives me crazy!!!

Yes, lets start an appreciation society for Glads............... I have had a look at a few, there are some really beautiful ones.

Mark

Hi Zest

I thought thats what they were.................. think i have one somewhere in my garden.....!!
Yesssssssssssss Crocosmia are soooooooooooo beautiful............. people only tend to think about them as those common ones that spread everywhere........ they dont realise how many really pretty, slow growing ones there are!!
Thank you................ i hope i get the collection status too.............. if i do, then everyone will know about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL


Mark

Hiya Mike

Ahhhhhhhhh the skeggy road!!! OK

I am so pleased i dont have ground elder or mares tail..................... i have that columbine stuff, but thats quite easy to get rid of............... its the small version of it too, which is good!!!
I will tell next door but one chap that the ground elder is easy to get rid of...............!! I dont know if he will do that, because he grows nothing but veg......... But then, thats up to him isn't it........!

The crocosmia on the lawn thing is easy............... dig em up!!!! LOL
Maybe someone planted them in the lawn because they thought they were crocus bulbs.........LOL

Mark

You have some oxalis in your garden!!!!
Oh how do they look like, sorry just had to ask LOL

Is that like saying "my dog has no nose"
"how does it smell?"
"awfull!"

ROFLMBO that is a good one!!!
Mike you got it right ;o)))

Hehe.
Do you collect the stuff? How do you keep it from taking over?

Stuff!!! You call them stuff!!! LOL
No they are just misunderstood, not all of them behave badly.
The ones that are, are just behead before they seed :o)
I have about 82-87 ones, and need more :o))
I

My Gladiolus dalenii, if I remember correctly, is the orange flowered form. It has reddish orange tips, and it looks to be true to form.

I took a pic yesterday of it starting to open, today it's half open. I can't believe how quickly it has flowered from seed, I sowed it on 24th April last year.

Wallaby

Ooooooooooooooo thats gonna be a pretty one!!!!!!

Wow, from see to flower that quick?????????????/ Excellent!!!!

Mark

Hi Zest

hahahahahahahahahahahaha................... very funny, what you and Mike are saying to each other...............

I dont know what my wood sorrel looks like................... cannot remember where it is............ but when i do find it i will let you know. Not that keen on the stuff....... it spreads!!!
Maybe i killed it................... cannot remember now!!!

Mark