In A Vase On Monday – Summer Swords
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase of materials gathered from our gardens. Many gladiolas, known to some as sword lilies, opened throughout the week, allowing me to keep vases of them scattered throughout the house.
The ones I grow are mostly rich jewel tones. The stems are quite tall and heavy, a little awkward to balance. I chose a heavy, substantial Ikebana vase in which to display a few of them today.
In A Vase On Monday – Summer Swords
Crinum lilies are just beginning to form bulbils on the flower heads now that the flowers are finished. I realized after cutting them they will be more interesting when allowed to develop further, but I included a couple at this stage anyway for textural contrast.
In A Vase On Monday – Summer Swords
Materials
Flowers
Gladiolus ‘Espresso’
Gladiolus no-names white and bright red
Gladiolus ‘Purple Flora ‘
Foliage
Crinum × powellii (Crinum lily) head
Container
Black metal suiban. 4 x 9.5 x 6.5 inches. Japan.
In A Vase On Monday – Summer Swords
Thanks to our host Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for encouraging us to create and share our vases. Visit her to discover what is blooming in her UK garden and across the globe this week.
pbmGarden 
Dramatic shapes, colors and arrangement. Nice!
I do love a nice gladioli, and yours are worthy of being the new orchid too! The crinium heads are an inspired addition too.
Thanks Noelle. The glads don’t have the lasting quality of orchids but they’re nice while they last.
I love gladioli and that rich brownish red one is really lovely. Interesting seedheads of the lilies – what a great idea to use them. 😃
Gladiolus ‘Espresso’ is lovely in person. The pictures don’t do it justice.
Nice shots
Thanks
Thank you.
Yes, the crinum heads are a great addition, and an ikebana dish is the perfect receptacle for gladioli. Are the ones in the forefront shorter varieties or have you just used part of the stems?
The glads in front are just part of the stem. I keep trimming them up from the bottom.
Seeing all your beautiful glads, I’m sorry I didn’t plant more last year or earlier this year. I just found a package of a dozen bulbs I’d tucked away and completely forgotten about.
Oh more glorious glads 😀 What a variety you have. I have put ‘Expresso’ on my wish list for next year – such an attractive deep colour. I’m glad to see Kris’s comments. It’s most reassuring to know that I’m not the only person to forget to plant mine 😂
Wow! White is of course my favorite for gladiolus; but ‘Espresso’ is impressively rich! I do happen to like that one. Also, it is interesting to see the Crinum floral truss. My neighbor in town does that with lily of the Nile floral trusses, which can be dried and even spray painted. There are two allium floral trusses here right now. I am waiting for their seed to dry.
‘Espresso!’ Great name and I love the color.
A striking architectural arrangement, Susie! I think I would struggle to arrange gladiolus, but as usual, you have created something unique and beautiful 🙂
I had never heard them called sword lilies. They are all so pretty.
Nice rich, dramatic color combination. I have a few surprise glads popping up, though I am not expecting much. My first thought – what is the seedhead?? It is very cool and a neat textural element. That container is my favorite vase you have. Adds weight to the arrangement.