Algerian Iris

It's rained here almost all day, providing a good opportunity to stay indoors and finish painting the woodwork in the hall. The rain finally ceased just before dusk, and I went out into the garden to find it mild, damp and full of birdsong. As I wandered round I came across this perfect bloom of Iris unguicularis, also known as Algerian Iris.

This plant was in the garden when we arrived fifteen years ago, and every year rewards us with perfect flowers, produced whenever the temperature turns mild. They open very quickly: there was no sign of this one yesterday, though I'm sure a bud must have been present if I'd looked closely enough.

Iris unguicularis grows naturally in the poor soils and dry conditions of the S. Mediterranean and N. Africa and flower best when it grows in a hot, dry place. Our garden has calcareous clay, but it does bake hard in the summer, and we don't water anything apart from the vegetables and plants growing in pots.

I think our plant is 'Mary Barnard' which is one of the best and most floriferous. It has slightly narrower leaves than the type and can start producing its rich purple flowers early in November and, in cool springs, has been known to continue well into April, although March is more normal. As well as being stunningly beautiful, this flower also has a sweet scent.

Such sombre beauty and fragility also seemed approriate for a day when so many in New Zealand are having to deal with the aftermath of the earthquake. My thought are with you all.