August Birth Flowers: Gladiolus and Poppy (gouache style)

The gladiolus takes its name from the Latin gladius, a sword, after its long, blade-like leaves. It grows from a corm, and many species come from South Africa. Its flowers open from the bottom of the spike upwards. The common poppy, Papaver rhoeas, is a wild annual of disturbed ground whose seed can lie dormant in the soil for years. Once its papery petals fall, it leaves a neat seed head that scatters seed through small holes at the top.

Plant gladiolus corms from March to May in full sun, and stagger plantings a couple of weeks apart to spread the flowers through late summer. Tall kinds need staking. In colder gardens, lift the corms in autumn once the leaves yellow, dry them and store them somewhere frost-free. Field poppies are sown direct in autumn or spring onto bare, raked soil, barely covered, because they don't like being moved. Leave some seed heads standing and they'll self-seed for next year.

Tall coral and scarlet gladioli stand with red poppies and their seed heads on an ochre ground. The warm background suits late summer, and including seed heads alongside open flowers shows the poppy's whole short life in one picture. It's a bold pairing, chosen for the heat of August colour.