While shopping for groceries, I came across stalks of   gladioluses at the floral section for $7.00 a bunch.  As soon as I saw these long stem beauties, I could hear my grandfather’s voice, telling me all about gladioluses.

He would store the bulbs in the basement each fall, hoping that they would survive another year.

He knew how long the leaves needed to grow after the blooms faded to ensure the bulbs would have enough energy to survive its winter rest. Just after the first frost but before the ground froze, he would dig up the bulbs.  These he would place on the basement shelves by colour and favourites.   Grampy did not have the extra cash to buy new bulbs each year.  He replenished his crops by splitting the corms or trading with other gardeners.

Grampy would always remind us not to touch the bulbs, to avoid damage and germs spread by grimy little hands.

Andrea was 8 months old when my grand-father passed away.  How happy he would be knowing that she too grows glads in her  garden.