Iris...

Iris. Have faith. Believe in the impossible and never give up on the dreams of your heart.

I'll admit, I wasn't a big fan of irises until some made themselves at home in my English ivy. A gift from the wind I suppose. Or perhaps a message.

A stylized iris is the flour-de-les emblem of France and Florence. It is named after Isis, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, who traveled along the arc to pass messages between mortal and immortal realms. Because she was a messenger, the flower symbolizes a message -- often a promise of love, as well as wisdom and valor.

The meaning of irises varies according to color:

purple: beauty

blue: faith and hope

yellow: passion

white: purity and perfection

Do you love irises? If you do, it's  because beauty and elegance are important to you. Being a perfectionist, you believe that a job that's worth doing is a job well done. You aspire to do great things in your life all done with diligence, intelligence and graciousness. 

One of these days, I'm going to dig out those irises and plant them in my perennial garden. For you gardeners, some good companions are peonies, foxgloves, lupines and columbines.

For now, I'm enjoying them inside.

{this is how you can arrange them using the technique I showed you last week}

A closer look…

It's always nice to have a bloom or two in your powder room for your guests to admire…

Now that I've become better acquainted with irises, I like them. I guess we were destined to meet.

Source for history and meanings: The Secret Language of Flowers by Samantha Gray.