Plant half-hardy hybrid gladiolus corms directly outside in mid to late spring, or start them under cover earlier. Hardy naturalising types, including Gladiolus byzantinus, can be planted in autumn or spring. Always plant corms during the season in which they arrive.
Out of season
New
Gladiolus
'Charming Henry'
dwarf gladiolus
With its delicate colouring and graceful, open flowers, Gladiolus 'Charming Henry' brings a wonderfully romantic quality to the early-summer garden. Its slender flower spikes carry beautifully shaped blooms in soft mauve-pink, brushed with deeper lilac tones and illuminated by generous creamy-white markings around the throat. The petals have a gently ruffled appearance, opening outwards to reveal their subtle colour variations, while the flowers sit comfortably apart rather than forming the densely packed spikes of larger gladioli. This gives Gladiolus 'Charming Henry' an especially natural, airy character that feels perfectly at home among cottage-garden favourites. Pair it with pale pink roses, white cosmos and soft ornamental grasses for an elegant combination of colour and texture, or plant several together to create a lovely drift of pastel flowers.
Belonging to the charming Tubergenii group, Gladiolus 'Charming Henry' is a compact, early-flowering variety that typically reaches around 60–65cm tall. Its slender stems rise above attractive fans of sword-shaped foliage, producing a succession of flowers during June and July. Plant the corms in spring, choosing a sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil. Unlike many taller gladioli, Gladiolus 'Charming Henry' has a relaxed, manageable habit that makes it particularly suitable for mixed borders, patio containers and cutting gardens. The flowers are delightful in informal bouquets, where their delicate colouring blends beautifully with other early-summer favourites. This variety also offers better cold tolerance than many large-flowered gladioli, although winter protection is advisable in colder or wetter UK gardens. Graceful, understated and remarkably pretty, Gladiolus tubergenii 'Charming Henry' certainly lives up to its name.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
Grow gladioli in full sun, in a sheltered border or large patio container. They need free-draining conditions, so improve heavy soil with organic matter and grit or plant into a raised bed. For containers, use peat-free multipurpose compost.
Position each corm with its pointed side facing upwards, around 10–15cm deep. Space them approximately 10cm apart when planting in groups. A generous cluster creates a fuller display and allows the flower spikes to offer one another some support.
Water thoroughly after planting, then allow the soil to become nearly dry between waterings while the corms remain dormant. Once shoots appear, water regularly throughout active growth, particularly during warm, dry weather and when growing gladioli in containers.
Most gladioli remain upright without help, although staking is useful in exposed or windy positions. Remove faded flower spikes just above the foliage, then leave the leaves to die back naturally. They can be cut down to ground level in autumn.
Lift half-hardy hybrid gladiolus corms in autumn and store them somewhere cool, dry and frost free. These varieties often give their strongest display in their first year. Hardy naturalising gladioli can remain outdoors where the soil drains freely and does not become waterlogged.
- Botanical name
- Gladiolus tubergenii 'Charming Henry'
- Flower colour
- Pink, white markings
- Corm size
- 10/+
- Established height
- 50-70cm
- Established spread
- 10-20cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
- Upright
- Hardiness
- Half hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant spacing
- 30 corms per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- No
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- No
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Loam
Sandy
Stony
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Pots
Borders
Coastal gardens
Gravel gardens
Cottage gardens
Cut flower Gardens
Large containers - Sunlight
- Full sun
- Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1st year
Good for cutting
Perfect for pots
Pollinator-friendly
Thrives in full sun
Perennial
Packed in paper
Low maintenance
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