Photography by Michelle Slatalla.
For many years I was one of those haters who thought of gladioli as garish sprays of out-of-control color.
‘Atom’ debuted in 1946 and in my garden in northern California (in USDA Growing Zone 10W) it was a diminutive front-of-the-border charmer.
Says Old House Gardens Hummingbirds love it and petite jewel like Atom may forever change the way you look at glads A primulinus glad with flowers half the size of most it melds...
...easily into perennial borders and bouquets It won t get lost though because it s a brilliant red cooled by the finest edging of silver It s our best selling glad year after year
Heirloom gladiolus bulbs come in different sizes and colors.
In my garden, ‘Atom’ first appeared as a purply, tight spike.
If your garden isn’t fenced or patrolled by armed guards, be sure to spray gladiolas with organic Deer Stopper ($14.99 from Amazon).
Coated with Deer Stopper spray, ‘Atom’ took its time to flower.
The weight of the blossoms-to-come bent the stem for a few days.
Lipstick-red petals, outlined for emphasis in pearly white, appeared on a stalk that reached a height of about 2.5 feet in my garden.