Here is a picture of some of ours in the kitchen window:
A pretty framed print I just found at a thrift store:
I found this vintage catalog here in the house:
I don't know why, but my father-in-law had his gardener take out most of the irises my mother-in-law had planted. Perhaps she even ordered some from this catalog. Some of the rhizomes were saved and stored, and I gave some to my sisters. 
I'd love to have some pink ones!
Luckily, some do remain out along the road. And as I sit here writing at the computer, I can see some out the window - yellow ones. They make me smile. I associate them with our Daddy - he liked them, too, and we helped him plant some along the driveway at the house we grew up in. When he died, I was wishing we could have daffodils and irises for the funeral, and they weren't in season, so Mother had some made out of fabric, and gave one of each to us girls. That was the sweetest thing ever.
Yes I still have mine, that was soo nice of Mother! I just received some to plant from a Bunco friend. I have a few in my small yard. My favorite is still the Daffodil, though!
ReplyDeleteone of my supervisors on the night shift at the PO did a huge business creating hybrids including diverse color combinations and i went over to see his HUGE iris garden one day in the morning after getting off work! beautiful does not describe what i saw. he shipped to other collectors and buyers all over the world.
ReplyDeleteIris is my favorite flower. I grew up with purple ones in my yard and I always marveled at the way they looked. I don't know why, but my mother called them 'flags'. Twyla
ReplyDeleteThat really IS sweet that your mother had those fabric flowers made for you girls. What a TRUE treasure!
ReplyDeleteThat framed print sure is a neat old thrift find. And how is it that you just keep "finding" such wonderful vintage goodies, like that catalog, around-the-house?
You are very lucky!
Hi, Heidi Ann! I usually go for the little flowers but I do love Irises! ♥
ReplyDeleteI remember an interesting side about the irises Daddy planted down the driveway. One of them was from a lady who lived in an old house as you go up Hwy 49 towards Sacramento Hill, Daddy must have met her delivering furniture or putting in carpet for her. He said the original rhizome cost $60 (which was quite a lot back then!) I was amazed. When they finally did bloom (it takes a couple of years sometimes) we were never sure which one it was! But I think it was supposed to be a golden yellow. I have many colors, and most that we have now are from my DH's Aunt Cathy. My favorite is actually mostly brown. So pretty! Perhaps your FIL's irises got diseased. They do sometimes have problems and get little brown spots all over them, the only thing I think you can do is pull them out and start anew somewhere else. Sorry for the late post, we went to a graduation in Chico yesterday and were on the road at 5:30 a.m. Love T
ReplyDeleteThat is such a sweet story about your Mom. I love just love Irises. You should come up here in the late spring - there are acres and acres of Iris bulb farms. You should see when they all bloom! They are so beautiful! I didn't even know there were pink and red ones .... I want! I want!
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