The irises are pretty much blown by and gone here.  Last week, my friend and I managed to make a long trek to Montclair, New Jersey to visit the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, which sits at the bottom of Mountainside Park.

The day was breezy and blue when we arrived.  The irises were waving in the soft wind, each a unique and delicate gem.  Antique, Heirloom, Siberian and Japanese Irises.  Walking down the rows of beds (over thirty-five of them), we kept getting distracted by the variety, the riot of color, the way these flowers on their long stems seemed to conjure images of flying canaries;

 dainty tissues;

old chiffon;

 How they glowed and vibrated.

All was so appealing……. Iris eye candy.

Amidst the distracting color, there is a peace that descends in a garden, and I could not help but be drawn to the quiet of the people there almost as much as the flowers.  Someone bowed at work amongst the beds.

 A man diligently tending a water sprinkler.  A woman had set up beneath a tree and was painting en plein air.

It was a long ride for a short visit to see this collection of iris jewels.

We left, replenished.