As the trees in my backyard grew, the flowers gradually disappeared until only one iris remained. Now I have just a single flower in that spot each year. I miss my iris plants, but it’s a catch-22—I also love the shade the trees provide. I chose collage for this painting because the original flower was set against a grid, similar to the one used in the composition. The collage medium highlights the textures we often notice in a garden, which I find especially compelling.