Iris I May...Iris I Might

Springtime!

I know it's springtime. Not because the trees are leafing out. Not because the grass is greening up. Not because my nose and eyes are itchy, runny and DRIVING ME CRAZY.

I know it's springtime because our irises are blooming.

We have a glorious crop this year. My favorite ones are these purple ones that look like they've been stipple-brushed. I love the little polka dots. I had never seen irises like these before when my mom and I ran across them on one of our flower-peeper drives around town. This lady had a huge yard filled with irises. These uniquely spotted ones were among them. When we drove by, she was out in yard working on her flowers.
So, we stopped to tall with her awhile, and told her how beautiful we deemed her garden. She was so delighted to have us as visitors that she dug up 3 of her prized purple-spotted irises to send home with us. I immediately planted them when we arrived home.

I'd like to say that I nurtured them and tended to them faithfully. But, truth be told, I neglected them. I did water them on occasion ... but that's about it. Now, 4 years later, they have taken over the flower bed. There are now about 15 (or more) plants and each one blooms with MANY multi-blossomed stalks.

So, here's a little something to remind my friends and family in Colorado (who are buried under a couple of feet of snow at the moment...with more on the way) what spring looks like.