I’ve been planting native wildflowers in our small wooded area in the backyard for a few years meeting with mixed results.The trilliums have done well but not so the lady’s slippers. A few weeks ago I purchased a Yellow Lady’s Slipper-Cypripedium parviflorum at Nasami Farm, a part of the Native Plant Trust, formerly the New England Wildflower Society, home of the Garden in the Woods.
Yesterday afternoon when I got home from work I walked back there to check on its health and found this.
I’ve made lots of images at another location 45 minutes or so from here, but it’s great having one right outside the door. Now if the Showy Lady’s Slipper will produce. So far it hasn’t and the shoot this year isn’t looking too happy lately.
I only planted it last week so wasn’t expecting to see this now or even this year. I’ll visit the others next week but this was a fine surprise. 🙂
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Good for you for planting native wildflowers in your yard. Eve has occasionally done so here, also with mixed results. Your photo makes clear why the yellow lady’s slipper is called what it is.
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Subtlety isn’t necessarily all it is said to be.
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Given what happened to your trillium, this is a great consolation prize. I like the way you’ve composed the image, with the leaves at the side and a profile view of the flower. How long is the bloom period for one of these? It’s nice that it bloomed during your ‘wildflower week.’
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Yep. Although I did plant this after the devastation. So far the White Trillium seems to have rebounded but a couple of other plants will tell me next year.These blooms, like most orchids. have a prolonged bloom. I haven’t tracked any long enough to say about how long but I will be keeping track of these.
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I am also starting a small woodland medicinal sanctuary and have flowers for the first time since the plants went into the ground last fall – my first trillium, many woodland poppies, wild geranium, blue cohosh and woodland phlox. Sadly, the goldenseal I was gifted did not put out any leaves. It’s lovely to have these precious plants nearby and not having to drive and hike to get to them!
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That’s great, Annette, although too bad about the goldenseal. I’ve been trying for a few years now and so far this is the best year for results. I still have more to get in the ground and, of course, more next year. It’s hard to stop but I will eventually run out of good places in our little 1/4 acre woods. As much as I enjoy having them here, I am still looking forward to a bit of hiking for other locations too, like the one I posted a short time earlier today. Out of the woods I have to establish a rock garden for the Fringed Gentians I purchased. If I am lucky I will eventually have no lawn to mow. 🙂
I hope your plants continue to do well and sometimes things that fail one year bounce back. My Showy Lady’s Slipper, which hasn’t yet flowered, wilted last year with what I think was a damp off but is looking good for this year.
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Yay – that’s a great goal, no more lawn! 🙂 It’s so beautiful to be surrounded by these native beauties; they open my heart every time I look at them.
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It is a great goal, but one I should have pursued when we first moved in 34 years ago. I had planned the front yard to be like A Japanese garden with small flower beds and gravel paths. Unfortunately I got distracted by hiking and photography and never made the time. 🙂
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Fantastic! I’m happy for you, and wow, what a gorgeous image you made – the curves, the subtle colors, the feeling of roundness, the graceful fall of sepals – all are perfection.
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It helps to love your subject and I do love flowers. Some more than others it seems. And, as it turns out, I am fortunate to have this flower because when I visited the usual place for them this morning, only one plant was flowering. None of the others have even buds. So many other plants are profuse this year that it was a strange discovery. Thank you for such a glowing reply. 🙂
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Loving the subject is key, you’re right. And being curious, which leads to wonder, which I know you have. 🙂
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As I said, good for you, Steve! I wonder how they are doing.
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The flower is long since past, but the plant seems well established. I did put a cage around it in case a deer happened by.
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I hope it will bring forth flowers next year!
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Thanks, Tanja. I am hoping so too.
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