Think Spring

With THINK SPRING (MTB 2003) by Stephanie Markham we start a new adventure with you all -- The Blog of the American Iris Society. With our senses beginning to feel Spring, and the hope of a new opportunity to see the beauty around our gardens once again, my hope is also that you will join us regularly to view posts by our blogging contributors, and to share your notes and ask questions about our loved plant/flower, the iris.

Here's a description of iris that someone contributed recently, and that I like a lot: History and Meaning of Iris: Latin for 'Rainbow.' Dating back to Greek mythology, primary meanings include faith, hope, wisdom, courage, and admiration. The iris' history is rich, dating back to Ancient Greek times when the Greek Goddess Iris, the messenger of the gods and the personification of the rainbow, acted as the link between heaven and earth. Purple irises were planted over the graves of women to summon the Goddess to guide the dead in their journey. Ancient Egyptian kings marveled in the iris's exotic nature, and drawings have been found of the flower in a number of Egyptian palaces. During the Middle Ages, the meaning of irises became linked to the French monarchy, and the Fleur-de-lis eventually became the recognized national symbol of France.