This is a little known garden , Giardino dell' Iris, next to the greatest viewing point in all of Florence, the Piazzale Michelangelo. From my reading in the biography of Michelangelo "The Agony and the Ecstasy" by Irving Stone, Michelangelo often spent time near here on the former city wall, overlooking Florence and the magnificent Duomo by Brunelleschi, one of the great architectural wonders of the world. Here he must have contemplated its construction, and then drawn from that many years later as he was asked to construct the dome and church of the Vatican, St. Peter's Cathedral.  In this garden, the iris and some roses are in bloom, set underneath a grove of olive trees. It is only open one month a year, when the iris are blooming.  What a treat to be here the month that it is open and blooming!

Giardino dell'Iris

Giardino dell'Iris

The Giardino dell'Iris is a botanical garden specializing in the cultivation of iris flowers, symbol of Florence since 1251. It is located on the corner of Viale dei Colli and Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, Italy, and open daily without charge from May 2-20 every year.

The garden is owned by the Società italiana dell'Iris, which has opened the garden to the public since hosting the annual "International dell'Iris" in 1954. It is almost entirely devoted to iris plants, with more than 1,500 (variously 2,500) varieties on display during the annual competition. The garden contains a pond is for the cultivation of aquatic varieties and provides an excellent view of Florence and its surrounding hills.