This Old Fashioned Flower

the Iris....this flower full of symbolism is currently scenting the Mango Studio with it's rich, earthly fragrance

Blooms bought at the farmer's market from the sweetest old man....I can picture him bent over his fields of Iris cutting them for me, this flower has always seemed old fashioned...lining houses in older neighborhoods, bulbs traded from one home to the other.

Named for the Greek Goddess Iris who was tasked with leading the dead women to the Elysian Fields, purple blooms laid on the graves of women....symbolizes cherished friendship, hope, valor... my compliments, promise in love, rainbows from heaven...the iris of the eye, holding a bit of heaven within.

    I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers 
                             ~ Claude Monet

Comments

[rebecca]

beauty in and of itself..
is perfect.

yet becomes so charged with secrets,stories,wisdom
when we seek the deeper meaning.
lovely...

looking deeper is its own reward.
xoxoxo,
rebecca

[somepinkflowers]

oh my!
these just suck me right in...
in only the Best way.

the blue veins seem to pulse
faintly
i can see it out of the corner of my eye,
i can

:-)

i want to be a bee
for one day to crawl deep into flowers.

Come With Me!

we will take wee bee cameras.....

[gloria]

We grow a lot of irises in our yard. Some have vanished but we still get a lot of different types coming up. They are beautiful and they have a different scent. I really can't describe but "rich earthy fragrance" sound good.

[Jill]

Yummy! I have a picture of my one and only iris on my blog. Yes... I am back in the groove. Your photos are so beautiful.

[Julie Prichard]

Stephanie... you win the GOLD STAR award for floral photography... thanks for making these so interesting AND beautiful! xo

[eb]

I once
had a friend
who's father
was the king
of irises
his garden collection
was unsurpassed
at least
in suburban Omaha
the bearded
the brown
and the black
the varieties
of this glorious flower
were
INFINITE
and they were
his PASSION
remembering this
along side your glories...

xox - eb.

[Tracy]

Stephanie, your photos are sensational! We have irises just coming into bloom... Yours sizzle here... Happy Days :o)

[Leau]

I knew just exactly the scent you were describing as I saw the image come up! I love Iris too and there used to be an amazing garden of them just south of 1st street that we would visit every year. The old man that tended the garden was old all those years ago and I often wondered what happened to all his lovely iris. He had similar ones to the ones that EB described from Omaha. Love that you shared your bounty with us! smooches

[Lara]

Agent Pineapple is getting irises for her birthday for sure! I will now take notice of irises and search for them. I never appreciated them before now, but your photos and words have me "crushing" to use a 90's term :)
xo Lara

[Orly]

Stunning photographs Steph...You got so close to them they became totally abstract..beautiful..

[Mo'a]

Beautiful...especially love the blue ones against the blue sky.
Your description is thought provoking and lovely.
Some say the Iris was the model for the Fleur de lis...others claim it was the lily.

[philippine flower delivery]

Yeah! the Iris is flower that full of symbolism. I am sure if my mom see this post she will gonna love this.

-fern-

[susanna]

So pretty! These are one of my favourite flowers.

[Paris Parfait]

They are lovely - remind me of my grandmothers, who both had Irises in their flower gardens. xoxox