Ahh, that's a different situation, Jacqui. They didn't actually die right off, then? That would be no leaves, nothing.
Gladiolus need to be fertilized and kept watered after they finish blooming (last summer) to make lots of healthy leaves that will re-generate the bulbs for this year. The leaves need to be left in place until they 'ripen' off, turn yellow or brown etc. It sounds like maybe they just made sub-standard bulbs and that accounts for leaves but no blooms.
My mother's glads in Vancouver were in the same bed with her roses, so even when the rest of the garden went to rack and ruin, that bed was watered, fertilized and cared for. Her bedroom window was right above it, so she could look out and see the roses and glads even after she no longer went outside without help.
