I am very fond of gladiolas because a favorite aunt grew them each year in one of her beautiful gardens. She included them in expertly crafted flower arrangements throughout the house. It always felt special to visit there---something I did for10 summers. I know I did not do these flowers justice, partly because I spent too much time researching and categorizing my feather collection, which continues to grow, and not enough time painting. I painted these from real life, and found them difficult to manage.