Abundant Iona Flora Photos

The abundance of blooms and color on Iona fills me with views I can stare at for a long time from benches. I’ve taken loads of photos and still there is more to delight the eye. There are a few bits I want to remember about these photos.

The first photo with the sun peeking at me through the trees is from a day the sun was up and hot all day long! A rarity in Scotland. I had worked a 7 to 3 shift in the kitchen and was dripping wet from the heat. I had no energy to get to a beach or even put on sunscreen. So I took a towel into the front yard of Dunsmerch and laid down under a big shady tree. The breeze was gentle and my mind was blissfully blank. Deep breaths was all that was required of me. It was a perfect afternoon.

I love that the nunnery is open to the sky. And because of this the flowers grow where women once lived and worshipped.

The gate latch at the beginning of the third row has been worn soft by many hands. The wood of the gate is also warm to the touch. I love the design, it’s plain in a fancy way, if you know what I mean.

The red flowers in the third row seem very much like lanterns to me. So ornate, much more than they need to be and yet why not!

Finally the odd dandelion in the last row of photos. It made me laugh to see the stem wiggle it’s way out of the garden. It almost looked like a wire with a wee microphone on the end. Silliness. But when you take time to notice the smallest details a sense of whimsy can occur.