Immortality: Standing Proud and Strong

"In every flower that blooms around,

Some pleasing emblem we may trace:

Young love is in the myrtle found,

And memory in the pansy's grace

Peace in the olive brance we see,

Hope in the half-shut IRIS glows,

In the bright laurel victory,

And lovely woman in the rose."

--AUTHOR UNKNOWN

VERSE FROM ANTIQUE GARDEN BOOK

FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS

Published by Cassell and Company, Limited

London, Paris & Melbourne

Prior to 1891

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Standing straight and tall,

proud and strong,

and visible from across our yard

is a beautiful white iris...

She set her buds and was ready to bloom

right before a surprise early spring

hard freeze hit.

She was not daunted by the freeze.

She was not daunted by the wind.

Shortly thereafter a second,

and more fierce,

freeze hit.

By this time her buds were ready to open,

so I feared that we would lose them all.

But she was not daunted by Mother Nature,

and she continued to bloom...

  

 

...pure white with yellow beards...

 

...and the slightest pale lavender at her throat...

 

 

I have divided and shared her many times.

She is now in several spots in our gardens.

She was one of the least expensive

 and most common

bearded iris that I have ever purchased,

but her beautiful fragrance abounds

and she perserveres as one of the

earliest bloomers in the garden.

Her name is Immortality.

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Today I am linking with Wen's Simply Neutrals Tuesday,

and you can join the fun here.

Thanks, Wen!!