Tag Archives: Ladyslippers

Ladyslipper Season

Orchid season is once again under way. My cold hardy ladyslippers are in full bloom bringing their beautiful colors and fragrance to the back yard. Every spring I wonder if they survived and get really excited once they begin to grow. I continue to try and capture these orchid blooms from different perspectives each year to bring out their interesting features as the flowers can be quite complex. This is yet to be accomplished but I’ll keep trying.

A beautiful Cypripedium flower

This year I had a surprise return from one of my orchids. This ladyslipper above did not grow last year so I thought it was no longer alive. To my surprise it emerged again after the past winter and even had a bloom. Orchids have been known to do this on occasion and is not really understood. I’m just extremely happy it’s still alive and growing. Thankfully I still protected it for the winter. It rewarded those efforts.

Ladyslippers in bloom

Ladyslippers Are Blooming Again

Cold hardy ladyslippers are in full bloom again so I’ve taken a little time to capture a few photos of them before they begin to fade. These are all plants that I have growing in containers in my yard so they can be enjoyed year after year. Well, providing I do a good job growing them and they survive each year.

After a light rain

There are a few different color variations ranging from all white to combinations of white, yellow, and red/brown. Some of these have a great fragrance but you have to get close to the flower to smell it while others really have no scent. A sweet perfume really adds to the enjoyment of any flower in my opinion.

Pink and white lady slipper

The most difficult part of growing ladyslippers is they only bloom for a few weeks and then they’re done for the year and this seems to regularly occur as the heat of summer arrives which reduces their length of blooming. Unlike other flowers, ladyslippers bloom all at once so there is this mass of blooms and then it’s all over with instead of a staggered bloom extending the season. This just means you have to take time to enjoy them when they’re blooming or it will be a while before you get to see them again.

Red and yellow lady slipper