The iris parade in my garden started at the end of March with the wild purple irises and ended today with the creamy white yellow-accented irises. For over a month I’ve been enjoying exquisite blooms in a graceful waltz displaying their frills and colors. There’s a sense of loss now that the last iris has expired. However, the iris plant continues to display its green blades for the rest of the season. In a summer Arizona garden, that green is much appreciated! Despite their delicate orchid-like appearance, irises are tough enough to do well in a hot dry climate with some watering. (They will survive without watering, but may not flower.)
Patricia Kaminski wrote in “Using Flower essences, healing oils and affirmations to illumine the soulscape of your sleep” (a booklet enclosed in Flower Essence Services product Dream Deep Ensemble) that iris is one of the most foundational flower essences, having “soul-making qualities”. Iris owes its name to Iris the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow who served as a messenger from the heavens. In Celtic mythology, Iris found her way back from earth to heaven on a “rainbow” of colored essences arising from flowers.
Iris flower essence encourages creativity and expression. Flower essences are my hobby and I enjoy making them, trying them out, and sharing them with my friends. I shared my iris essence last year with an artist friend, Shari Silvey who was experiencing artist’s block. She tried it out and suddenly she was painting again! She was so thrilled by the break through that she drove over to my house from Sedona to show me the painting that flowed from her brush. It was based on a wilderness hike she had taken and there were wild purple irises all along the meandering stream which flowed through the center of the painting. I am not making this up! I shared my iris flower essence with another artist friend of mine, Pamela J. Smith who also gave me positive feedback on it’s healing qualities.
If you would like to purchase commercially prepared Iris flower essence, here are some options:
Or if you have access to irises, why not make your own? There are many different approaches to this which you can research. Here’s one that is close to my process. I differ in that I use a small glass bowl that contains about 1 1/3 cups of reverse osmosis water. I also use an indirect method most of the time since it is difficult for me to cut flowers and have them die in the process of making the essence. I place the bowl of water near the flower so that it picks up on the flower aura. I also do not do the optional step 14 described.
I’d love to hear from you about your experiences with iris!
Here’s a fun, easy, online class on flower essences starting May 24, 2013. I took it and loved it!
For some gorgeous iris photos see these!
Thanks for posting the instructions on how to make them! I should make some northern flower essences this summer!
That would be so cool! Please share about the flowers you use–I will want to get to know them!