Rainbows and Irises

Iris was the Greek goddess of rainbows, connecting heaven and earth.  The tall, colourful flower which bears her name, seems to reach for the sky, its petals forming a rainbow like arch.  There are 325 species of Iris, and 50-thousand registered varieties, in almost every colour of the rainbow.  

Just steps from my home, there are irises in shades of blue, purple, yellow, brown, maroon, black and white.

  

Whether five feet tall, or an eight inch dwarf, all irises have six petals.  The three large outer petals are called falls, and the three inner, upright petals are called standards.  The Fleur-de-Lys, the symbol of France and of Quebec, is an iris.  The flower is depicted with two of the three falls on either side of a standard.

In the barbershop world of flowers, irises are bearded or unbearded.  The smaller Japanese and Siberian irises are unbearded.  To state the obvious, the beard is the soft hair at the centre of each of the three falls.  

Most irises have bright yellow or orange "Viking" beards.  Some though, have purple or black beards, like these...

Irises are gregarious plants.  Not only do they come back to visit year after year, they bring more Irises with them!  Irises will spread.  Every two to five years, gardeners divide the bulbs, and plant them in other parts of the garden.

Plant them in full sun, and they will thrive.  They need at least six to eight hours of full sun, or they won't bloom.  Like all rainbows, a little rain is the magic ingredient.  

The brightly coloured flower attracts brightly coloured hummingbirds.  The hummingbirds are attracted to the colour alone, since irises are not known for their nectar.  Ironically, the Greek goddess for whom the flower is named, is often depicted holding a pitcher of nectar.  

Irises may be named for a mythological figure, and emblazoned on flags and royal crests, they are also an old-fashioned, homespun flower.  Many people say the flower looks like the kind of frilly aprons our Great Grandmothers wore while preparing the Sunday dinner.

Iris, the Greek goddess, is not only associated with rainbows, she is always carrying a message from the Olympian gods. This week, with the flowers at their peak, send a rainbow bouquet of irises with a message of love!

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.