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
Deluxe
Gladiolus
'Sugar Babe'
sword lily
Make your summer garden extra splashy with the bright salmon spikes of Gladiolus 'Sugar Babe'. This cheery character is also quite a flashy one, each tall, upright stem is fully padded out with large flowers in a glorious, glowing sunset shade—an ombre which includes salmon and apricot tinged with blush pink. As if that weren’t impressive enough, the foliage of Gladiolus 'Sugar Babe' remains short, meaning the blooms can be seen in their full glory. This floral supermodel fits easily into a wide range of planting schemes; however, a top pick has to be those which focus on a soft, pastel, cottage-garden charm.
If you’re thinking of what to pair with Gladiolus 'Sugar Babe', we highly recommend plants with purple flowers. You can add zesty lime to the mix by underplanting with Alchemilla mollis. Perfection! Gladiolus 'Sugar Babe' are happiest in a sunny spot and well-draining soil. If you garden on heavy clay (often wet and sticky during winter, and baked rock-hard during summer), either mix plenty of horticultural grit into the soil, or instead grow yours in a container.
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 'Sugar Babe'
- Flower colour
- Salmon, pink
- Bulb size
- 12/14
- Established height
- 1-1.2m
- Established spread
- 10-20cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
- Upright
- Hardiness
- Half hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant spacing
- 30 bulbs 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
-
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
Pollinator-friendly
Thrives in full sun
Packed in paper
Low maintenance
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