In Portland or Paris where the clouds often reach down to embrace the earth in their cool grasp, flowers that reflect the damp hues of blue and purple seem as natural as growing grass. Here in California’s San Joaquin Valley where skies glow hot white and dusty fields paint a hazy glaze over the sun, it seems that blue and purple flowers should evaporate by mid-morning.
But they do not have to. These beauties poked through the rich soil nurtured by an iris farmer in Porterville. I attended the Porterville Iris Festival a few years ago with my master gardener friend, Sally Pace, and the gates opened to reveal these beauties.
The Porterville Chamber of Commerce and the Tulare County Master Gardeners plan the Iris Festival for late April each year.
If you enjoyed these pictures of purple flowers, visit Cee’s Fun Foto Contest to see other entries. A new theme begins every Tuesday.

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Author: Marsha
Hi, I'm Marsha Ingrao, a retired educator and wife of a retired realtor. My all-consuming hobby is blogging and it has changed my life. My friends live all over the world. For thirty-five years, I lived in the most beautiful area in Central Valley of California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains minutes from the Sequoia National Park. As a child I moved from Indiana to Oregon. With my first husband I moved from Oregon to Colorado to California. Every time we moved, it hurt so much to leave friends. I never wanted to move again. After Mark passed, I married again. I told Vince that I could never budge from my roots in California. He said he loved the high desert. I don't think he ever thought he would realize his dream. In November, 2020, we sold everything and retired to the mile-high desert of Prescott, AZ. We live less than five miles from the Granite Dells, four lakes and hundreds of trails with our dog, Kalev, and two cats, Moji and Nutter Butter. Vince's sister came with us and lives close by. Every day is a new adventure.
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Iris purples and blues are so very beautiful. Thanks for playing.
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My pleasure! 🙂
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So lovely, Marsha. 🙂
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Thanks, Sylvia. 🙂
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Very pretty.
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Awwww thanks! 🙂
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Beautiful, Marsha. I just love the shape and colour of iris 😀
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I do too. There are not many flowers any showier than the iris. 🙂
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Absolutely beautiful!
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Thank you so much! 🙂
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