Lady's Slipper Orchids

Cypripedium calceolus
Twenty years ago there was only one plant left flowering in the wild in the U.K. This was in limestone
Woodland in the Yorkshire dales. Much of its decline in the previous century arose from flowers being picked and sold in markets.

About fifteen years ago Kew Gardens began to propagate plants from seed. It took about ten years to produce enough plants big enough to be planted out in the wild. A number of sites were selected for reintroduction. One of these sites was in a National Nature Reserve less than two miles from our house.

Now each year at this time one of the areas is open to the public for viewing. This Photograph shows one of the plants on display. There are of course plants in other areas which are not publicised.