My mother was a prize winning iris gardener. As a child I would wander through her iris beds with my nose at the exact height of the fragrant blossoms. I could even tell one from another by the fragrance. Of all the flowers she grew, iris was my favorite because of the wonderful smell.

Hi there foraygardengirl,

Thank you for sharing your memories. Your childhood memories sound wonderful. I hope you are able to grow some of the divisions of your mom's irises in your garden!

Thank you again and take good care!
Benny

Thank you for the wonderful article, Benny. I think for just a moment I stood with you, by the beautiful irises, basking in the fragrance wafting about. I love walking near a garden and being assailed by a fragrance that will stop you in your tracks and demand all your attention. After the spring jasmine blooms the irises are the true winners in this regard. I think perhaps the fragrance of the old historic irises we became familiar with as a child is what triggers the love for irises we experience as adults.
Through all of life's changes I have experienced in my 70+ years the iris has been a constant, connecting all parts like a fine thread. When they bloom I feel like I am home again. smiles

Hi there grannysgarden,

You are so welcome and I thank you too for your very kind words! This makes me smile that you were able to connect with this story and share the experience through my words. You are so right about the iris being a constant connecting all parts. For me, it is not only the iris but the lilac. The very first flowering plant I fell in love (besides the dandelion) was the lilac. I could not get over how something so wonderfully fragrant came from a tree and my mom got excited when I bought her some for her kitchen vase.

Home again. I like that. :)

Thank you again and I wish you the very best!

Take care,
Benny

I can tell that the patch of irises at the annex was a wonderful respite from the daily grind for you. It is awesome that that period of your life stayed with you all these years and what a great impact it has made on your life.

I find it amazing that something as simple as a fragrance can cause a lifelong love affair with a plant and create lasting memories of our experiences.

I really enjoyed your lovely description of the iris fragrance. I could imagine it too. I have memories of lilacs when I grew up in Canada. The 4 plex we rented had a huge lilac bush. Our family would cut the flowers , make bouquets and my sister and I would deliver them. Now that I live in the south ,I miss those lilacs.

Benny: thank you for this lovely tribute to a sentimental plant. I think most of us associate irises with grandparents' gardens,
along with roses, jonquils, hyacinths and pansies. I am fortunate to have a few fragrant irises but nothing like the potency
you describe. I shall have to visit Old House Gardens and order a few of these. I appreciate fragrance in my garden and
try to plant accordingly. Thanks so much for your description of your experience. I felt as if I were right there with you.

Hello all,

Thank you for your wonderful comments and my apologies for the belated replies.

@blue23rose

It truly was wonderful and I need to make a pilgrimage to the site to see if the irises are still there. Maybe the owners need homes for some divisions! Thank you so much and I wish you all the best!

@canadanna

I am sorry you no longer can grow lilacs. They are another of my favorite flowers. I should write another article about discovering them as a child and giving the bouquets to my mom. That is another wonderful memory I will always have. We were out of town this weekend and we headed toward the mountains and their lilacs are just coming out and I was able to watch my 9 year old enjoy that same gorgeous fragrance I enjoyed at his age. Thank you for sharing your memories. Wishing you all the best!

@Hemophobic

You are so welcome and I thank you so kindly! Judging by how everyone replied to all the iris photos, articles, etc. this week, it shows just how much we all love this flower. It is one of the best parts of spring and summer. You should definitely visit Old House Gardens and see if you can't get some of these. You will love them!

Thank you all again and blessings to all. Take care!