From the Feb 2008 issue of the RHS journal The Garden: From seed to seed in 20 weeks by Anthony Hamilton. Sow gladiolus seed in March in 10 litre pots. Keep in an unheated glasshouse or poly tunnel. Transplant into a sunny border in June. First flowers appear late in July. Collect seeds beginning in early August. He says they won't equal the named hybrids, but make effective garden plants when treated as annuals. With selection, one can create a strain of ones that flower quickly. The article includes photos of the progression from seed to seed. Diane Whitehead