Although the Florentines call it “Lily”, actually the symbol of Florence is an iris or Florentine Iris. For those who will come to Florence between the end of April and the end of May, but also for the Florentines themselves, it is impossible not to stop at the Iris Garden, to admire an extraordinary spectacle, in a colorful garden that releases a sweet scent of best varieties of iris, located on the east side under Michelangelo Square, in the so-called «Podere dei Bastioni».
Its foundation dates back to 1954 to host an international competition that rewarded the most beautiful Iris. Going down its paths and stairways in grey stone, we walked a stretch of almost 3 hectares mainly of olive groves. Surrounded by this magnificent flower spectacle we felt a sense of peace and serenity, away from the traffic of the city.
It was Piero Bargellini, the famous mayor of Florence, who wanted this flower competition with the “Florence Prize”, on the initiative of two British ladies who were passionate about flowers, who were part of the Italian Society of Amici dei Fiori.
What arouse curiosity is the strong link between the city and this flower which dates back to the origins of the foundation of Florence. Legend says that wild orgiastic festivals were celebrated in honor of the goddess Flora, protector of spring and flowers at the time of the foundation of the city in the spring of 59 BC. or 29 BC by the Roman legionaries. Florentine hills were surrounded by the Florentine variety of iris Germanica, a perennial and spontaneous flower of violet and white color, commonly called iris. The coat of arms of Florence is represented by a buttoned scarlet lily with 3 main petals, two upper bud stamens on a white background.
