On Monday, I thought the yarrow looked rangy and disheartened, so I cut it back. Amongst its tall, woody stems, I found this:

This has never bloomed in my garden before. Not having considered it closely before now, I assumed that it was more bearded iris foliage. It’s clearly not.

I think it is Iris domestica, formerly known as Belamcanda chinensis, or blackberry lily.

My neighbor grows this plant and I acquired some from her many years ago, but it hasn’t ever bloomed before. Perhaps it hasn’t had adequate water up until now (we are making up for lost opportunity, aren’t we?). The Missouri Botanical Garden website says that the plant creeps slowly by rhizomes and may also self-seed. I know that I sowed some of these seeds in my winter sowing escapade, but nothing materialized.

I can’t wait to see it in bloom! What  a nice surprise.