I haven't bought gladiolus corms for many years, but my eye was caught by colourful photos as I was choosing vegetable seeds in the spring. I chose one each of about a dozen with unusual patterns on their flowers. I didn't bother taking note of the names. They are all planted in the same bed, and only one has put up a bloomstalk. The leaves are big, but some have vertical rectangular abrasions or holes. The only gladiolus in the garden are perennial ones that I've had for a long time - a miniature-flowered early one that has chocolate-scented flowers, and a nice big patch of G. papilio. Neither has ever had any marred leaves. Shouldn't big healthy looking corms produce flowers? Do corms come with creatures that damage the leaves? Diane Whitehead Victoria, B.C., Canada cool mediterranean climate mild dry summers, mild rainy winters