The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
I had never heard this phrase until I moved to ireland – ‘chip off the old block’ was what I would use to suggest similarity between parents and offspring – but it appears that it is American in origin, with German roots. It is usually used in a derogatory way though I don’t quite see why.
It sprang to mind when the first blooms of gladiolus ‘Lucky Star’ opened this week.
I was excited to get corms of this unusual gladiolus which promised much – here was a large-flowered gladiolus that was scented. I am not aware of any other large hybrid gladiolus that has fragrance. Strangely, it is not new.
It was bred by Joan Wright in New Zealand in the 1960s and is a hybrid of a large-flowered plant crossed with Gladiolus murielae, the offspring back-crossed with Gladiolus murielae. It was introduced in 1966 and was apparently the only fragrant gladiolus to result from her experiments. It seems to have been forgotten about until recently although, trawling the ‘net’ seems to suggest that it flourished and survived in some gardens in Australasia.
What is especially good about it is that it seems to be reliably perennial and to bloom every year unlike Gladiolus murielae which can be tricky to keep and is usually best treated as an annual.
I was not sure quite what to expect. But the flowers reveal their parents quite obviously. The effect of Gladiolus murielae (below) is there to see.
The trouble with hybrids like this is that the very features that you want to keep are often linked with features that are less desirable yet make the plant so special. Gladiolus murielae has flowers with long tubes that are elegant and give the blooms a swan-like grace. This also makes them less good as cut flowers and ‘Lucky Star’ has a ‘chunkier’ form. The flowers are larger too and the distinctive ‘Ribena’ markings have been diluted. Is it more beautiful? No. Is it a better plant for the garden? Probably – though I will reserve judgement until I see how it ‘does’ in the garden. I do like the fact that it still retains some of the charm of the wild parent and is not ‘too domesticated’
Of course the most important question is – is it fragrant? Well it seems to have some fragrance but it is not as strong as Gladiolus murielae. There seems to be little smell during the day but it does smell first thing in the morning and in the evening. I will pick a stem so I can enjoy it – and assess it – at night. I am tempted to do some pollen-daubing, but only after I have done some more weeding.
A few weeks ago I mentioned that two nasturtium seedlings had appeared in the garden with lime green leaves. I am pleased to say that they are both growing and yesterday a flower appeared on one. It was small but it showed the genes from the ‘Phoenix’ nasturtiums I had grown in the bed a few years ago. You can usually spot the seedlings of these because the leaves are rather scalloped even before the flowers, with their lobed petals, appear. I am relieved that the flower is scarlet and not pink. The other seedling has buds but no bloom yet. Growth is slow and the plant is rather small but because they are both self-seeded into the corner of the bed it could be environmental. I now need to do more to help it and I will start to feed to boost growth and then I will try some cuttings to try to keep it. Once I have plantlets I will allow it to try to set seeds and see if it comes true from seed, if it sets seed.
The Biking Gardener 
A reliably perennial gladiolus is worth its place in the garden – as long as it isn’t one to seed about everywhere! Nice plant!
My garden is at a different stage to yours and I can cope with a few things that are a bit exuberant! I also planted Gladiolus communis and look forward to ripping up armfuls of it as it becomes a nuisance. I know I will regret saying this but if anything apart from willow herb self seeds I think it is a bonus. G. papilio slowly gave up the ghost on me but good plants deserve a second chance.
G. papilio and G. byzantinus can be a nuisance here.
Lucky Star is gorgeous, enjoy it now because I have to tell you, it never reappeared in my garden.
Ah – perhaps my excitement will be short-lived. I think I will have to pamper it and lift the corms this autumn and see what is under the ground. My other glads are now left in the soil over winter and do well in the veg plot. I used to lift them but the tiny cormlets left behind usually manage to bloom the following year. But thank you for the warning.
I leave mine out too. Papilio ‘Ruby Red’ actually seeded. Byzantinus is too much of a weed here. But lovely G. Tristis succombs to frost or wet. I was disappointed by Lucky Star as I was assured it was hardy.
It looks like we all have very different experiences and it must be down to the conditions. My papillio just faded away and I suspect I was too afraid it would be too wet and the spot was actually too dry! Byzantinus is new here so we will see how it fares. I have had it become a little too thuggish but I would cope if it tried. I would not even dare plant tristis outside.
Gladiolus murielae is tricky? It has been doing well here for a few years. I just assumed that it was supposed to be reliably perennial. I must take better care of it.
Well it can be tricky to get to rebloom here. Luckily it is readily available in spring and not expensive
Yes, I remember that it was actually cheap from mail order catalogues.