During the Victorian era, floriography – the language of flowers – became a popular way for men and women to express what they couldn’t say out loud. (Sort of like an early form of texting with emojis, only more poetic and fragrant.) Each flower has a very specific meaning. People carried ‘flower dictionaries’ to help them interpret and communicate the messages intended by a small bouquet (called a nosegay or tussie-mussie). Often the meanings had to do with friendship, love and courtship.
Today, even without knowing what those meanings are, we are moved by the sight of beautiful flowers – in a sprawling wild field, in a well-tended garden, in the gift of a bouquet… or even emerging from a small patch of dirt.
The blossoms in just such a patch inspired Jim to create Farmyard Irises. “Early one summer, the irises blooming in our farmyard here, in front of the guest house, caught my attention,” he explains. ‘They come up every year in the corner of this yard. Just gorgeous. They were in full bloom and really captivated me.”
The iris has enchanted everyone from artists to kings for centuries. Vincent van Gogh, George Gessert, and Joseph Mason (friend of John James Audobon) all painted the flower. French King Clovis I adopted the iris as his symbol when he converted to Christianity, and it became associated with France (the fleur-de-lis) after Louis VII embraced it in the 12th century. It is also the emblem of Florence, Italy; Quebec, Canada; and the New Orleans Saints football team.
The Chinese consider the iris the spirit of early summer and refer to it as “the purple butterfly,” for its dancing petals that are reminiscent of colorful wings.
Named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow (the link between heaven and earth), the iris symbolizes faith, wisdom, cherished friendship, hope, and valor. It is said that purple irises were planted on the graves of young women to summon the goddess Iris who would guide them to heaven.