Greetings,

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My name is Gary Adams. I am 72 going on 73. I have Parkinson's disease and would like people who are looking for a great hobby, or maybe a way to bring some joy into your life, to consider entering the world of growing Gladiolus and Dahlias.

 

I have spent over 60 years growing glads & dahlias. I have greatly enjoyed those years. No other flower has the color variations that gladiolus do. The only color they don’t have is black. You can raise them to sell on backyard stands or bring them to shows in the US & Canada and even overseas. These shows offer cash prizes, trophies, rosettes and other rewards in addition to the gratification of winning.

 

Gladiolas are not funeral flowers, they are flowers that are great in bouquets for the house, giving to your neighbor or Church, selling to a nearby florist or selling from vegetable stand.  They can also be cross-breed to create a new varieties. The come in five floret sizes ranging from the cute little 100’s up to the next sizes of 300’s, 400’s and the Giant 500’s, which can grow to be over 6” across.

 

To find out more about this beautiful flower, you can go to www.gladworld.org and create a growing society anywhere, if there is not one already for you to join. There are still societies in the US and Canada as well as abroad, however we are looking for younger people to join. We are losing members due to old age. You can become a member of the North American Gladiolus Council by going to our website at: www.gladiola.com or the Gladworld website at www.gladworld.org.  Please join and you will receive 4 bulletins for each season and other cultural material.  In additional, you’ll find it’s a great place to meet and speak with other growers and make new friends around the world.

 

Please help keep the vision alive and well. Gladiolus, are my favorite flower than Dahlia’s. You can also join the dahlia society by going to the American Dahlia Society (ADS). A great thing about Dahlias is you get more than one flower per plant. They have overtaken gladiolus as the # 1 cut-flower. Thank You, and please help preserve these beautiful flowers. Get out there and start your garden!

 

Thank You and Good Growing,

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