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June 3, 2014

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Photography, Poetry

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Iris Blooms Haibun

Pink Iris in Bloom

 

The sun is blinding hot today, a taste of summer to come in four weeks. In a previous post, Visitor in the Temple Haibun, I wrote about irises that came in the soil of my house. For years they sent up green leaves, but never did they bloom except once.

Two years ago, I moved them from their spot beside the wild forsythia. An iris grows from a fat root that sits shallowly in the soil. Planted too deep, it will never bloom. Once transported, irises can take years to acclimate and rebloom. But taken care of, the root will outlive us all.

patient, enduring
hibernating deeply
blooming when ready

This morning, those iris roots, probably older than me but certainly older than all my children, have bloomed again. Last winter’s severe cold must have given them a taste for summer’s heat.  Across the street, my neighbor’s irises also greet the sunshine, proudly and without shyness.

elegant beards drape
velvet walkways invites bees
tomorrow’s blooms wait

Note: This post is dedicated to those who persevere, who ride out the hard times, make homes wherever they are transplanted, and then bloom when the moment is right. You know who you are. 🙂

Copyright 2014 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note on photographs: The above picture is of the irises that have finally bloomed for me. These below are those from across the street, neighboring monarchs.

Orange Iris blooming Pink Iris blooming

30 thoughts on “Iris Blooms Haibun”

  1. That’s a very encouraging thought, I could do with some blooming in my life! 🙂 And how lovely of those Iris plants to bloom for you this summer – the Iris flower is so pretty, like those frilly skirts can-can girls wear! You sound like you are having a heatwave – it’s not that warm in the UK yet, lots of sunny days, but still very fresh and spring like. But I shouldn’t complain because I don’t like it much when it gets really hot. I’m often found sitting in a cool shady corner! 😀

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  6. This is a great post and I really like your reminder to persevere – very timely for me.
    I remember your first haibun about these irises. How wonderful that they have flowered for you this. (Your garden tips make me think I must move mine too). That pink iris is sensational. I have never seen a pink one before. It must be a very old variety.

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    • Suzanne, Thanks for stopping and commenting. 🙂

      Do you have irises in your new place? Or did you bring some from your old place? You moved recently, right?

      In winter, I walk past an old patch of iris roots, thick and interwoven, with hardly any earth on them. They get covered by snowfall, which melts and exposes them. This happens for months. Each spring, they faithfully send up green shoots as soon as the snows are gone.

      They look so vulnerable, and they are fussy about shade or being moved, but in a sunny patch, they are so sturdy. They are an interesting flower. 🙂

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      • I bought them from my old place – we don’t get snow here just a lot of winter rain. Planted to deep the irises struggle in the wet soil. They keep their leaves all the time – the older leaves brown and wither during autumn. Very different indeed. I’ve only been to the snow a couple of times in my life and can’t imagine living in it. Must be very chilly – brrr. It’s 14 degrees Celsius down here right now – that’s our average winter temperature.

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  13. Ohh Brenda, the Irises are beautiful! The pinks are my favourite.
    I used to have Irises growing around my pond at the cottage where I used to live, but when I moved to my new home there was very little ‘garden’, as the previous owners weren’t gardeners and so paved over the front garden totally, and the garden to the rear of my property has some very odd placings of decorating paving and squares of cobble stones – and barely any place for growing things. So when I saw your Irises I felt my heart smile brightly.

    Beautiful photographs! Love them. ~ Cobs. x

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