The Fleeting Iris

I am blessed with plantings done by a previous owner.

A sea of purple irises comes up behind our garage every year, seen only by the few people who might travel down our back alley (a sort of secret garden). Another puddle of irises comes up in a flood of purple in our front yard around a red bud tree. The yellow ones come up underneath an aged, knarled tree in our front yard and the pink beauties grace a tiny patch right next to our back screened in porch, holding their own.

Sad that irises only bloom for about 10 days and then all that's left is their dense greenery. Sadder still that I didn't take a picture of these flowers a couple days ago when the sun was shining and the blooms were at their most glorious (these were taken today and we are expecting rain). A small window of opportunity, gone for another year, but the anticipation is delicious.