OT-Chat: Memorial Day (was Iris books)
- Subject: OT-Chat: Memorial Day (was Iris books)
- From: J* a* C* W*
- Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 19:24:28 -0700
> From: Colleen Modra <irises@senet.com.au>
> It's obvious that Memorial day isn't when SDB flower, but when is it.
This
> Ozzie hasn't a clue
Colleen,
Memorial Day was begun shortly after the end of the Civil War as a day of
remembrance for deceased veterans of the Union (Northern) military. My
grandparents and others of their generation always referred to it as
Decoration Day, as the custom was to decorate the graves with flags and
flowers. It was originally observed on May 30, but about 30 years or so ago
the observance was switched to the fourth Monday in May to create a
three-day weekend. Along the way, Memorial Day became a day of remembrance
for all deceased veterans, and in this area and many others as well, it is
treated as a general day of remembrance when the graves of deceased family
members are visited and decorated. Throughout much of the country the most
popular flowers for decorating graves on Memorial Day have traditionally
been irises and peonies, and where it is possible and permitted these are
often planted around or on the gravesites. That is the reason that the
common form of I. germanica is generally referred to as the "Cemetery Iris"
around here.
Jeff Walters in northern Utah (USDA Zone 4/5, Sunset Zone 2, AHS Zone 7)
jcwalters@bridgernet.com
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