The bulb or rhizomes of the iris flower sit patiently in the soil. They weather the cold winter, waiting for spring, and then emerge in a burst of color ranging from deep purples to vibrant yellows and soft, pale pinks. The bold and beautiful iris symbolizes hope, wisdom, courage, and trust.
It’s been nearly two decades since irises brightened the McMurry campus. On Saturday, April 27, with irises in full bloom, onlookers witnessed the unveiling of the special Centennial Garden sculpture and the completion of the Pug Parris Centennial Garden.
A smiling Pug, along with faculty, staff, alumni, and friends watched as sculptor, Dan Brook, unveiled his double-sided, steel relief of the mighty and beautiful iris, a timeless symbol of the spirit and love that faculty and staff have poured into the McMurry University campus for over a century. If the name Dan Brook sounds familiar, it is probably because he is the artist responsible for creating the Grant Teaff statue that proudly sits in front of Radford.
The Centennial Garden was dedicated in Pug’s honor in 2022. A McMurry campus leader during her student days and a professor of kinesiology for 42 years, Dr. Pug Parris ’73 may have retired, but she’s never truly left her home away from home. You can still find her tendering her precious irises in the Centennial Garden, sharing her passion for nature with others, and teaching a few courses.
During the 1962-63 school year, Dr. Norland C. Henderson, associate professor of biology, planted nearly 286 iris varieties between the Radford building and Sayles Boulevard. For years, he lovingly tended the flower beds, turning a barren stretch of campus into an explosion of color. The garden quickly became one of the most popular places on campus for graduation pictures and silent reflection among the flowers.
When construction started on the Furr Welcome Center in 2006, the irises were dug up and relocated so construction could proceed. Some of the bulbs and rhizomes did not survive, but many found their way into the gardens of Abilene residents, including Pug, who planted the surviving flowers in their gardens.
The McMurry community missed the iris garden tradition. That is until Pug stepped in and suggested the University revisit establishing an iris garden to celebrate the University’s Centennial year. Through collaboration, fundraising efforts, and a lot of time in the dirt, the new Centennial Garden was installed at the southwest corner of Wah Wahtaysee park and many varieties of irises were replanted from Pug’s personal collection.
Today, nestled between rows of meticulously cared-for irises and other plants, the Centennial Garden sculpture stands as a silent reminder that although the irises in the garden may only put on a show once a year, all are welcome year-round to enjoy this peaceful corner of campus.