I’m really not sure why I grow ‘Glads’, as my Grandpa used to call them. I selected the subtlest of the available colours – 2 different softish pinks, and planted them around orange trees in a raised bed on the sunny side of the water tank. They have gone wild, shooting up in all directions, more every year, covering up the young orange trees and the runner beans behind them. I’m sure it’s the mixture of 3 manures (llama, chicken, and sheep) that made them go so mad – they are relatively normal where I’ve transplanted some to the other side of the water tank.
There’s still something so over the top about them, but they sort of blend in in a tropical setting, here with Mountain Papaya, species Cannas, Brugmansia, and Alocasia Odora.
They are combined here with Hydrangea Blue Wave and Bridal Bouquet, and unnamed blue Hydrangea macrophylla, white Thalictrum, Lavender Sidonie, and a few sweet peas.
I also couldn’t resist another vase of blue Hydrangeas, and lots of little vases of Sweet Peas.
Be sure to check out Cathy’s blog Rambling in the Garden where there are snowdrops and SNOW! today.
Absent Gardener 
Whilst we are cold and wet, the view of your Exotic plantings and your vase of hydrangeas, and then that lovely gladioli are a wonderful tonic. You definitely have found the perfect tonic for your plants.
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. I’m enjoying seeing snow and frost pictures from the Northern Hemisphere 🙂
My grandmother grew “glads” and I adore them. Yours are particularly wonderful. The hydrangeas are exquisite as well. Have a great week.
Thanks! It has been a crazy week too 🙂 I hope you are having a good one.
My father also grew “glads”, I admit I prefer the simpler ones in the garden but in a vase your larger hybrids work brilliantly. I must give my bulbs some goodness; they didn’t grow at all well this summer.
I think simple ones would be better probably, although I don’t see many available. We do have Watsonias, which are kind of like a simple glad.
I love the delicate colours of these gladioli but would only grow the smaller varieties here – what a statuesque vase your first one must be, with the gladioli and then the hydrangea round the vase – and what an inviting view your first photograph shows, enticing us to an unseen place round the bend!
I think the smaller ones are better, they don’t fall over as much and are easier to have in vases.
Your glad looks like my Priscilla. My favorite photo here is the glad beside the tree. It looks like it is leaning out to make sure you see it.
Thank you for the name, I’m sure that’s right. I usually save the names of bulbs but I can’t find that one.
Glorious. Particularly with the blue.
Thank you 🙂
I see wild gladioli when out hiking (little plants like the species tulips)
That deep pink border is delightful.
Those sound very cute. Thank you for commenting.
I had never thought about it before, but gladioli do have a tropical look about them. Not in your vase of hydrangeas though – oh, they are sooooo lovely! That colour is magical. Having gladiolis spreading in the garden along with the hydrangeas must be nice. Love that first photo with the gladi beckoning for us to come and take a closer look! 🙂
Thanks Cathy. I can see how people become Hydrangea collectors…
Perfect to have a view of summer when we are in the depths of winter. The ‘glads’ are very pretty though I know what you mean. They are difficult to place well and can be garish but you’ve got to love them for their exuberance.
My thoughts exactly 🙂
Glads can be dramatic in big, showy arrangements. I haven’t had your kind of luck…maybe I need to seek out some manure sources.
How do you condition your hydrangeas so that they last in a bouquet. I always find that the fresh ones wilt quickly. They sure are beautiful in your arrangements.
Thank Rickii, I don’t really do anything unusual to condition them – just put them in a large jug of water. They usually last better than other flowers for me, but I did notice this time that the ones with small flowers which were younger sappy growth wilted more quickly.
I had the same Glads for years and always enjoyed them in vases.
I guess they won’t grow where you are now?
Glads sure love your garden, Cath! With that manure mix, I’m not surprised. 😉
LOVE your various blue hydrangeas – they’re gorgeous!
Thanks Eliza, I’m loving the Hydrangeas too at the moment. The blues seem seem so cooling.