Make Edna a proud old Dame. Why not plant some gladdies for Christmas cut flowers? Dame Edna Everage has demonised gladioli for many years but this graceful flower deserves to be considered for its beauty rather than its cultural associations with Moonee Ponds (Edna’s home town in Melbourne). ‘Gladdies’ grow from a bulb-like structure called a corm that is planted in early spring to flower around December, providing spectacular cut flowers for Christmas if you choose to bring them indoors. Plant the corms about 4-5cm deep in a well-drained soil with as much sun as possible and a few handfuls of well-rotted animal manure forked in beforehand. Some kind of support such as a stake is desirable when the flower stems start to emerge to prevent them blowing over. Numerous colours and flower sizes and even perfumes are available through mail order providers that can be accessed through the Internet or gardening magazines or through your local nursery.
