Another flower portrait this week. The popularity of the flowering wild iris, Dietes grandiflora, is well deserved.
This Southern African wild iris is often planted in massed groupings at commercial sites such as shopping malls and airports. It is undemanding and adaptable and the showy flowers blooming at the same time in large groups are eye-catching. But I think that its real beauty is in the detail of an individual flower. Its complex shape and colouring make it more challenging to photograph than one might expect. The focus of this photo is the central coronet of pale purple.
Posted by Carol
October 20, 2018 at 4:21 am
What a pretty flower and a nice photo of it too.
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October 22, 2018 at 7:00 pm
Thanks Graham.
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October 19, 2018 at 7:05 pm
Our wild irises look rather puny next to yours. Or perhaps it’s that I prefer your purple variety to our yellow ones. At any rate, excellent job of showing us your treasure!
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October 22, 2018 at 6:59 pm
Thanks Gunta. There are so many wild irises and I’m sure each are lovely in their own way ☺
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October 19, 2018 at 1:05 pm
We tend to take Dietes for granted here in South Africa; your magnificent photo reminds us of its unique beauty.
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October 19, 2018 at 7:44 pm
Thanks so much Sharon. I love that moment of recognition when we suddenly see the “ordinary” as something special.
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October 19, 2018 at 8:50 am
Exquisite, Carol.
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October 20, 2018 at 5:24 am
Thanks so much Tish.
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October 19, 2018 at 8:19 am
Looks exceptionally beautiful against the black background, Carol!
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October 20, 2018 at 5:20 am
Thanks Suzette. I am fond of using late afternoon light for this effect.
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October 19, 2018 at 7:21 am
Oooh. I’ve never seen a wild iris before, so all our lovely garden varieties must come from your part of the world? This is even more eye-catching than our tamer ones.
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October 20, 2018 at 5:12 am
I read that there are 1800 species of iris in 65 genera across the world but South Africa is particularly rich with over 700 species in the Cape alone. I got side-tracked to read about the origins and history of the Bearded Iris (northern hemisphere origin), which is fascinating. Even found a tip on making iris perfume: infuse a freshly chopped rhizome in vodka!
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October 19, 2018 at 3:52 am
A beautiful image.
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October 19, 2018 at 1:46 am
Just yesterday evening I was filling our bird baths and admiring the beautiful iris flowers in detail, and therefore lovely to start my Friday morning with them again here in your garden!
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October 19, 2018 at 7:37 pm
Thanks. They are a lovely presence in the garden, and glad to help your Friday morning. Have a good weekend!
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October 19, 2018 at 12:24 am
Incredible image!
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October 19, 2018 at 7:34 pm
Thanks so much Sandy.
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October 19, 2018 at 7:37 pm
My pleasure.
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October 19, 2018 at 12:03 am
Beautiful! Looks like a purple flame.
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October 19, 2018 at 7:34 pm
Thanks Eliza, and indeed it does – what an apt description.
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October 18, 2018 at 9:57 pm
So beautiful 🙂
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October 19, 2018 at 7:25 pm
Thanks. It is a lovely flower.
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