Irises - Part 1

Irises are blooming right now!

A few years ago I felt as empty as an old jug.  I had lost my
daughter, my mother, and my grandmother.  The grief was all
consuming.  I made a list one day of things that made me
happy and irises were on that list.

I looked around for a gardening club and found the Carolina Iris
Club right in my town.  They are the most wonderful group of ladies
I have ever met.  It only cost $3 to join and my DH and I attended
the open gardens at the homes of some of these ladies.  We had the
most fun picking out irises to divide and plant in our garden.

The funny part is how much connection I feel to my mother when I see
these beautiful flowers.  I don't feel an ounce of grief, just love.

A lady in the Iris Club taught me all about labeling and the names of
these beauties.  I didn't think I cared what they were named, but
she asked me if I named my children?  Well, of course!  I got her
point.  And it is amazing how I love my irises as my children.

This one is named Total Recall.  What a cool name for a rebloomer!
I learned that rebloomers bloom again in the fall. Again, how cool!

Jesse's Song is the first iris to
bloom in my back yard.  Not
only is it beautiful but I feel it
leads the way for all the others.
It lasts the longest, too.

Every day is so exciting when
you have something like this
to look forward to each day!

"Look for beauty and you will
find it!" .....Sara Teasdale (poet)





I have others blooming in the back yard now, but my camera
needs new batteries, so there will be a Part 2.

Now, for the rest of the story.  After I found the iris club, joined,
attended the open gardens, formed relationships with other gardeners,
bought the rhizomes, and picked out a garden spot.....I was still
paralyzed with grief.  Literally, I couldn't bring myself to plant a
single one.

That's when my DH stepped in and took over.

He tilled the garden, planned the planting (he wanted the colors mixed
and I wanted them planted in alphabetical order), got on his knees
and planted them all, has pulled grass and weeds for over three years,
and invites me to walk with him in the iris beds in the evening when I
get home from work!  What a sweetie!  And the grief has changed.
As I spend time amongst the blooms, I smile thinking of the irises as
my children.  I don't exactly talk to them, but I do call their names :-)!

I also learned from the Caronlina Iris Club about Japanese Irises
that grow in or next to water. So, one day I will post Irises - Part 3
about our trip to Sumter,  South Carolina for the Japanese Iris Festival!

Have a wonderful week and enjoy every minute you can outside!
Love,
Lottie