Summer in Bloom

Irises, roses, and lilacs, oh my!

Jun 28, 2026

Nature Moments, where I share photography + stories about moments of connection in nature, is currently on pause. I’ve returned to full-time work, so I write when I can :) In the meantime, please enjoy the archives.

We have a gorgeous stand of native Blue Flag Iris growing in a low, damp spot next to our farm. It wasn’t there until just a few years ago - I think it must have been deposited by passing wildlife 😂

What a surprise, and then what a delight, watching the colony expand year by year. The first year, we were thrilled to see a few blossoms. Now in its third year, there are a few dozen!

It’s almost odd that they’re a wildflower. They’re so sculptural. So intricate, each petal a stained glass masterpiece dusted with diamond sparkle.

When spent, they retreat in these hilariously tight curls, giving Wicked Witch of the East energy - but fabulous!

And then who should I find there, but this stunning Crab Spider, dramatically poised for hunting.

Some of you saw my Note this week, but for those of you who missed it - Crab Spiders are so cool! She’s not very well camouflaged on this particular blossom, but they spend most of their time on white or yellow wildflowers. And on white ones, they’ll become entirely pale. And on yellow ones, they’ll turn deeply golden!

Lindsey Hartley (Hartfelt Expressions, Nature Connections) shared some more fascinating Crab Spider trivia in the comments: Did you know they don’t actually try to hide per say, with their colouration? They have bright UV markings that attract bees to them. Bees just can’t resist!

But also, Crab Spiders crack me up because they are so responsive. When she saw me taking her picture, she turned, crossed the iris, and got as close as she could to me, stretching her arms wide to size me up for mealtime. If I moved too suddenly or got too close, she would drop into the grass in an instant, but she is wildly confrontational right up to the last second 🤣

And I’m not the only one! Jason McBride (Weirdo Poetry with Jason McBride) shared in the comments that Crab Spiders also play this game with him - and because he is an amazing poet and artist, we now have the potential for Crab Spiders to feature in a future haiku comic!

(If you are not already subscribed to these two Substackers - highly recommend!)

And it’s not only the irises. The wild meadow roses have launched their brilliant, ephemeral blooms. Each blossom lasts only one day - but you can collect the petals and enjoy summertime tea in the middle of winter.

This passing ant is gathering nectar. I wondered if he might be a pollinator, but it turns out that ants are covered in an anti-microbial substance that is great for the health of the colony, but bad for pollen. Though ants may harvest pollen from lots of blossoms, they’re only effective pollinators for a small few.

This Mock Orange was covered in white blossoms last summer and smelled like heaven! This year, only a few buds emerged. We think the winter cold nipped back the tips where this year’s buds had formed. Or maybe the deer got to them before we got the protective fencing up. Every year, the farm and garden give us one more mystery to try to unravel for next season.