Gladiolas: Glad to meet you

Nature, like man, sometimes weeps from gladness — Benjamin Disraeli

The most lasting and pure gladness comes to me from my gardens.  — Lillie Langtry

Question: Who made the promise “Give me 10 weeks and I will fill your heart with gladness”? 

Answer:  The flower gladiola … if allowed to “speak.” 

Two and a half months is short, if every one could be treated to a garden or a room filled with beautiful clusters of gladiolas, fondly called “glads.”

The Greeks and the Romans have used gladiolas as ornaments since 2,000 years ago. Gladiola comes from the Latin word “gladiolus,” which means a long sword. Because of their linear growth, they are easy to display. I usually put about three or four dozens of glads in a tall, no-frills glass vase and immediately the room captures their warm colors. There was a time, however, when the local varieties were limited to just three colors: white, pink and plain red.  In contrast, glads from Africa, Australia, and other continents show a variety of luxurious colors. 

At the gladiola launch held recently at the Manila Seedling Bank, two flower growers finally broke away from these staid colors and introduced 20 luxurious colors that could match those found abroad.  They are the brother team of Rex and Angel Puentespina, who were responsible for importing the mother bulbs from Holland.  Through hybridization and selection, Rex and Angel harvested beautiful, firm, and healthy gladiolas at the foothills of Mount Taloma in Davao City.  Angel, the agriculture engineer, takes charge of the breeding, the research and development, and operation of their flower farm while Rex handles the marketing and promotional side of this family business.

I was firing one question after another at Angel and he gladly replied:  “Yes, South and Central Africa have the most varieties of glads. Yes, you can mix and match glads in any floral arrangement. Yes, their vase life is up to seven days. Yes, cut the base of each stem in a slanted angle while submerged in clean water and change the water every two days or when the water turns cloudy. Yes, add fungicide or bleach or vinegar in the water to keep it clean and bacteria-free. Yes, add a pinch of dissolved sugar in the water as food for the cut glads. I wonder whether adding ice cubes would make these shy florets peek out faster from their leafy nests?    

“After harvesting the flowers, we make the ‘corms’ sleep,” said Angel.  (A corm is a short, thick, solid food-storing underground stem or bulb.)  I imagine these tired bulbs catching up on sleep, to rest and relax after a busy season of growing.

“We make them sleep by placing the corms in a cool, refrigerated shelf and when it’s time to plant them once again, we ‘wake’ them up by exposing them to room temperature,” Angel remarked.  That must be like a gentle nudge to wake up these sleepy little groggy heads.   

The new colors are fabulous with matching names like Purple Flora, Chemistry, and Fado for the violets; Zorro for the deep wine burgundy — exactly like the color of a masked Antonio Banderas; peachy orange colors called Precious and Ibadan and lime green colors Greenstar and Dawson.  The yellows will make you dance as they’re called Cha-cha and Jester Gold and the bright reds are called Deepest Red and Chinon, with the feel and look of Chinoiserie.  The other varieties called Peter Pears, Copper Queen, and Flevo Beach come in various shades of taupe and beige. 

Angel is partial to the serene whites called Essential and Amsterdam because of their thick, luscious, and abundant florets and when I asked Guilly Chikiamco of Guilly’s Flower Shop, he likes the whites, too.  Guilly, however, leaves it up to his clients and buyers to choose their favorite colors. 

To give an idea of the amazing designs that one can create from this rainbow of glads, Rex and Angel invited eleven floral designers - the first graduates from the Institute of Philippine Floral Techniques – and they were given a free rein to “paint” using as their medium the Zorro, Precious, Cha-cha, Chemistry and the other varieties of glads.  Creative director Evelyn Aldaba led the exhibit with her unique interpretation called “Inside Out” where she used literally the entire gladiola, from head to root (bulb).

The Puentespinas also grow other flowers like chrysanthemums and orchids and other tropical plants; they’re into vegetables like French beans (crunchy and sweet) and miniature pumpkins, cute and perfect for autumn and Halloween.  They make their own blue cheese, Feta cheese, and the native kesong puti.   As if these ventures have not quite filled up their plates, Rex and Angel are also lobbying our government to officially recognize the enchanting Waling-waling as the national flower of the Philippines. Many of us may not be aware that the sweet and fragrant sampaguita is not native to our country but that it originated from India.  

 In the meantime, the new star of the farm is the gladiolas.  Rex said, “We want to assess what colors would come out as the top favorite of florists, flower sellers, and the general public.”  Of course, that would be the colors that could dramatize each special occasion and milestone in their lives, I thought.  Out of curiosity, Angel looked at me and asked, “What color is your favorite?

I giggled. 

 “I remember my mom by buying gladiolas — her favorite flower.  They grow tall, lean, and graceful with beautiful clusters of brightly colored flowers.  They remind me of my mom’s arms; she had a way of gesturing her arms when she was angry or making a joke that was just as elegant as those gladiolas.” — Halona Agouda

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Gladiolas are available at Puentespina Orchids Sales outlets in Pasay Road, Makati, Dangwa, and the Manila Seedling Bank and their head office in Davao City.  Log on to www.orchid.ph or call (6382) 221-8248; 843-5303; 924-2730 or 929-9310 and 740-9759. 

For a diploma in floral arranging, contact 400-1416 or check out website www.iphft.com.