Wednesday, April 21, 2010

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

7 comments:

  1. Oh what a lovely Iris garden!!

    Happy Outdoor Wednesday:)

    kayellen

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  2. Your Irises remind me of my Great Grandmother (who died when I was 29). Half of her yard was planted in Irises. She loved them dearly and would tend to them all summer(and make me help her). In my mind I'm naming the pink Iris Grandma Edith!

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  3. Dear Lottie

    I am so sorry to hear about your Daughter, Mother, and GrandMother. I can only imagine the grief that you went through. I lost my Mother and Grandson through Doctors neglect and the grief was overwhelming at the time. I know that flowers can help. Someone sent my Daughter a beautiful plant to the funeral of her Son and she gave it to me. After 10 years it is still alive and I have actually separated it several times. It blooms a flower around Easter time every year and when I see it I see Adrians little baby face and it brings happiness to me. It is like him saying Hi Nana.

    Your flowers looks so beautiful and what a Wonderful Husband you have to help you with them.

    Willow

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  4. I am so sorry for your loss, your flowers are beautiful, I'm glad they put a smile on your face and bring you hours of enjoyment.

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  5. Sooo pretty... Iris' always remind me of the first date with my Hubbs. One of our patients had an Iris Farm...and we went for a tour. :-) Ahhh.

    Warm blessings,
    Spencer

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  6. Hi Lottie,

    Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog -- I always enjoy getting feedback. :)

    The irises are simply beautiful.

    Currently, I have a little giveaway on my blog -- today is the last day to enter. :)

    Greetings from Munich,
    Birgit

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  7. I found your blog while checking out another. I love the Iris, one of my favorite flowers. I am so sorry for your loss of Mother, daughter and grandmother, a lot to go through.
    I will come back and visit again.
    Betsy

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