O.K. Call it what you will - sword lily, gladiolus, pluralize as gladioli,
"common speak" as gladiola - my whole reason for posting was not to start a
dialog on the proper name for more than one gladiolus. It was to say "Isn't
this a nice thing for the corn and soybean farmer to do, raise a whole lot
of these corms and donate the flowers for hospital patients." Which
apparently was so minor a thought as to be completely overlooked.

In venery there are some wonderful collective nouns, in some instances
refined as to whether the group - geese in this instance - are in the air
(a skein or wedge), on the ground (a flock or gaggle), or on the water (a
plump of geese.) But I am not aware of any collective naming of flowers.

Judy

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