On Memorial Day 2018 weekend the Nelson family revisited an orchid site in southern Vermont that we first explored in 2007. It's amazing how much can change in 11 years; not only have Johanna and Christina grown up, but the massive colony of Yellow Lady's-Slippers (Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens) that we feasted on back then has largely been shaded out (dratted plant succession!) and instead of hundreds of yellows, there were only scattered dozens in the now much shadier forest. Now the good news: A small colony of Ram's-head Lady's-slippers (Cypripedium arietinum) has more than doubled in size to nearly 60 blooming plants and seems to be spreading along the embankment. And we found a truly stunning group of pure white Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis forma gordinerii) a variant that we had never seen before in all of our orchid travels. It is heartening to see that the site has been spared development, which was a worry several years ago, and it was great reliving our memories of that time, when we were determined to have our "city girls" experience nature firsthand.The weather was much nicer this time - 60 degrees and cloudy, as opposed to 92 and sunny and humid.
Enjoy!