Purple
Blue
Orange
Yellow
Rainbow of color
By any name
Dutch
Bearded
Crested
Bulbous
Behold your beauty

Oh how my mother loved her Irises. When she moved into the home she would share with my family, she purchased a WIDE variety of irises. There were certainly a multitude of places for her to plant them. A long raised brick flower bed occupied one side of the driveway. Another spot was a wide area on the side of the garage leading to the front door. Finally, another long raised brick flower bed stretching from the front porch to the outer edge of the house. Yes, a vast canvas for these beloved flowers.

Mother turned the soil in all of the beds. She added new soil to the old and again turned the soil. Fertilizer was added next and once again, the soil turned. Her gloves were stained with the sweat of her toils and from the dirt she so lovingly worked. The tools were placed on a shelf in the garage with all her other necessary gardening needs. Gardening is hard work, whose labor not appreciated until long after the effort has been expended

In the fall, Mother planted her treasures with abandon. Not caring which variety ended up where. No garden tags to identify each bulb or rhizome. We knew not what awaited us in the spring.

Spring arrived with tender green shoots reaching through the soil for the sun. Mother walked the flower beds plucking weeds as she went. The slivers of green became 2 larger blades. From the middle sprouted a sturdy stem growing taller and taller each day. A bud formed near the top. Slowly the bud opened to reveal it’s beautiful flower.

Each and every bulb and rhizome spewed forth their colorful gems. The gardens were ablaze with color. They were a joy to behold. Just gazing at them brought a smile. Neighbors would stop and admire the lovely array of blossoms.

All the irises were relocated when the new landscaping was done. Once again we got the thrill of anticipation, waiting as each bulb shot forth it’s bloom. What would it be? The luscious chocolate colored flower? The deep purple, shining yellow, pale pink or the dark blue? One by one they displayed their wonders for all to admire.

Through the years they multiplied and continued to come alive as spring warmed the soil. When the house was put up for sale, my daughter gathered various bulbs. She repeated the pattern at her house. They were replanted with the same abandonment as her Grandmother. Now, when I visit her home, I see those beautiful Irises and they bring joy to my heart and a smile to my face.