Irises Are Blooming

The Irises are blooming. 

According to Greek mythology, when the gods wanted to speak to mortals on earth they sent a messenger, a goddess. She had golden wings and traveled to earth on a rainbow. When she stepped on the ground, flowers sprung up. The goddess name  was Iris, and the flowers were called irises.  Growing irises in flower gardens dates back to 1469 B.C. and King Thutmose III of Egypt. The king was an avid gardener and coveted plants more than gold. When Egypt conquered Syria, the king found irises growing in abundance and brought them to his gardens. Irises became very popular in Egypt. The three petals of the flower stood for faith, wisdom and valor. Its rhizomes were used for medical purposes and to manufacture perfumes and incense. There are 300 species today.