A hardy mediterranean gladiolus wich does not need any cosseting, produces bright, brash magenta flowers on top of long stems, giving strong, rich colours at about waist height. It gradually spreads to form large clumps, and makes a terrific show in the middle rank of the border. The flowers are good for cutting. Plant the corns in the autumn in free-draining soil where they get a chance to bake over summer. In areas suffering bad winter frost, it benefits from a thick, protective winter mulch.