I am inspired by orchids and I know not everyone shares my affinity for these exotic blooms but to me they just seem almost make-believe. It is hard to imagine even the most creative artist sitting down and designing something as magical and whimsical as an orchid from just his imagination. It would only seem logical that orchids boom in exotic locations, but did you know there is a beautiful woodland orchid that is native to New England called the “Lady Slipper”? I know, even the name is exquisite!

When I was a very young girl, my mother would take me with her into the woods to search for lady slippers. They are a true wild flowers that would never survive in “civilization” I was always told For those of you not familiar with Cypripediodeae, or “The Lady Slipper”, this is a wild native orchid that blooms mid-May to July (peak mosquito season as I remember from our lady slipper hunts) in the deep, dark depths of the underbrush of the pine forests. When in bloom their gorgeous pink flower resembles a delicate woman’s slipper, sitting atop a pair of leaves of  a celadon green that is like no other green in nature. As a child I like to imagine this flower got its name far back in time when some fair lady extended her daintily shod foot from beneath her skirts, capturing the imagination of a flustered young botanist who promptly decided to call his new orchid discovery “The Lady Slipper”.

History now tells me that it was Native American folklore that named the orchid the” Lady Slipper” or “Moccasin Flower”. Legend has it there was a plague in the middle of the winter that killed many tribe members including the village healer. A young maiden ran barefoot through the snow in search of medicine to save the tribe but collapsed on her way back from her mission. That spring, beautiful lady slipper flowers bloomed where her poor frozen feet had been, in tribute to her bravery. As I said earlier, lady slippers are wild native orchards and need very specific conditions in order to grow and propagate- namely untouched underbrush in the forest and alongside bogs. These are not plants to dig up and transplant in well-manicured and maintained suburban gardens. Think of it like this, you and I know that you can’t tame something wild and exotic like a tiger (yes, Joe Exotic, I’m talking to you!) or even a giraffe and have it thrive happily in your backyard. But people kept trying to tame these wild plants and unfortunately, the beautiful lady slipper orchid has all but disappeared from our woods.

This year during the quarantine, I took to walking the woods, not only to get out of the house, but to find calm and meditative silence. I often thought of my mother on those walks. I thought of her strength and her ability to handle uncertain times and accept changes that were out of her control. I found myself looking deep into the trees as if for a sign of her presence to comfort and reassure me that everything will work out. I wish I could tell you I found a lady slipper on those walks but sadly, I cannot. One day, on one of my walks, I came across an old-timer in the woods. And when I say ‘in the woods” this fellow was way off the path where I could just about see him, clearing brush or trimming trees. He called out hello to me and asked if I liked these trails. Turns out he had helped clear these paths 30 years ago and was glad to hear how I loved walking them. “Indeed, I do!” I said and then asked him if he ever saw lady slippers anymore. Sorrowfully he said “No”, and like me expects they fell prey to overzealous gardeners digging them up for their personal gardens. However, he did tell me of other treasures to keep an eye out for and I did come across what he told me was the “oldest wooden post he had ever seen” along the trail along with other wonders. But I will keep holding onto the idea that deep in the woods, where no man or woman would dare go, there is an opening in the trees that lets in just enough sunlight to shine on the pine-needle covered soil and nurture a sweet sanctuary for these magical orchids.

Love,

Bonnie Frost