I am really enjoying my garden this spring season. It was a long hot, dry, waterless summer - and it was difficult to garden, and even more difficult to enjoy the garden when all I did was worry about how much water I could use to keep things alive!
But now it's spring, and there's water! I try to plant lots of colorful perennials, so I don't have to do much annual planting, and then I am always surprised and delighted when the spring blooms arrive. Irises have always been my special delight.
Irises were my mother's favorite flower and I still have some of her plantings in my garden. Plus I have shared some of her irises with others so I know that her love of flowers is being enjoyed far and wide.
And, my granddaughter Coraline, who just turned two -- has "Iris" as her middle name. So you can see why I am so taken with this particular bloom.
Even so, having a favorite flower in the garden is little like having a favorite child. They are all beautiful in their own way, and each of them delights.
I feel very lucky this season to have such beauty in my own backyard. And I am happy to share, so you can enjoy it too!