It was an unexpected experience. I was crouched low (and I thought, inconspicuously) on a forest hillside taking pictures of wildflowers when a family hiked by, paused, saw what I was doing, and asked, “Are you Alistair?” So it was that among my blog’s largely unknown subscribers, I had a rare accidental meeting with one of them.
It was also an uncommon meeting with the orchids I was photographing. The fairy slipper (Calypso bulbosa) is the first orchid to emerge in the spring and, of the eight local wild orchids I have photographed, it is loveliest.
I am used to seeing the fairy slipper in groups of two or three, so this crowd was special.
However, the grandest view is that of a single profile.
Amazing
Beautiful. My personal favourite is the Fragrant white rein orchid (Platanthera dilatata). Look for their tall spikes with small white flowers in soggy sites like ditches. They are not as showy as the Calypso but if you walk by a patch in bloom, the wonderful fragrance will awaken you to their presence and their beauty.
Tom, I certainly understand your reasoning. Here is a picture I took of a white rein orchid three years ago.
