AN IRIS FROM LILLI

A couple of years ago, our friend, Lillieth, often called Lilli, gave us some irises from her garden.  As we were revamping our garden, were put them in a holding bed and waited to see what happened to them before replanting them in the new border - until now they have just had green leaves but no flowers, but today, Mr. HCB asked if I had seen the beautiful flower on the iris, and I confessed I hadn't.

I went out into the garden before Church and took a few shots of this beautiful flower, but fully expected it just to be an extra as we nearly always go out after Church looking for dereliction. 

However, when we left Church, after a great service, it was raining rather hard, so we decided that (a) it wasn't much fun driving around in the rain and (b) with the price of petrol being what it is, it would be better just to come home, which we did.  It was still raining quite steadily after we had had our lunch, so I donned my anorak and went back out to get a few more shots of the iris with raindrops on it.

This is the result and although I have “played around”, “fartnarkled” and “faffed around” with the shot, we both preferred this one, which looks so lovely and natural.  The rain is certainly helping the garden at the moment, but we hope it knows when to stop!

The Iris flowers are made up of three named parts: the standards (upper petals), the falls (lower petals) and the beard (‘hairs’ in the throat of the flower) with most varieties having a sweet, spicy fragrance.  

In a small book entitled “The Language of Flowers”, which Mr. HCB bought me some years ago, it says “The Iris is the floral herald, the bearer of good tidings and warm wishes....It is also the fleur-de-lis of the arms of France, originally known as the “Fleur de Louis” and eventually “fleur-de-lis” and was taken into the English arms when Edward III claimed the French throne in 1339.  The Victorians loved the strong shape of the flower, and it appeared on numerous fireplace tiles and as a bold image on domestic stained glass.  An announcement of a birth, an invitation to a dance, a token for a lover or a simple message of introduction, all could be accompanied by an Iris”.  A very useful and interesting little book - I’ve learned a lot today about this beautiful flower and even found a lovely poem, which I know will appeal to my Blip friend, wrencottage,, who often posts poems.

YELLOW IRISES

after Yellow Irises with Pink Cloud by Claude Monet

wide-awake blooms
dutifully shine
across brightest hours

but when evening comes
they grab handfuls
of purple sky –

a surprise gift
for the next butterfly
who happens by

Irene Latham