Joy

The appearance of a new flower in my garden always brings me joy.   This Iris histrio especially so, its one of the most beautiful.   I grow several forms, this one from a licensed collection made in Turkey in 1993 by a couple I know, has been with me for over twenty years but hardly increased at all from the original bulb.  Very pleased to see three more flower buds developing, I've never before had more than two flowers a year.   Another bulb, of Syrian origin, obtained at the same time, has increased over a hundredfold!   The plant in the picture grows under glass in a cold frame but the more vigorous form did ok in the garden in Norfolk.

Very fortuitously as it turns out, as the lockdown in Wales now starts at midnight tonight, my friends from Shropshire came and filled their big transit van with boxes of stuff from yesterday's delivery.   It can be stored in a shed at their place for a while.  Liberating us from the overwhelming chaos will make it easier to deal with what remains and deliver a much more civilised Christmas and New Year.   An extra pic to compare with yesterday's blip.

No surprise at the news tonight given the concern over the fast spread of the new strain of the virus.   Roll on spring.