Garden Photo of the Day

Giant lady’s slippers

Click here to enlarge.
Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

I’m getting super-excited to visit Stonecrop Gardens this weekend. But I’m sad that I won’t get to see this beautiful sight again, since this was taken more than a month earlier last year. This stand of greater yellow lady’s slippers (Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens, USDA Hardiness Zones 3-7) caught my eye from 20 feet away in the woodland garden, and I could barely walk away from them after snapping a dozen shots. This plant is native to a large portion of the United States and Canada and is supposedly one of the easiest lady’s slippers to grow in a woodland garden. Want one? Here’s a list of online nurseries that sell it!

Click here to enlarge.
Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais
Click here to enlarge.
Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais
Click here to enlarge.
Photo/Illustration: Michelle Gervais

 

Welcome to the Fine Gardening GARDEN PHOTO OF THE DAY blog! Every weekday we post a new photo of a great garden, a spectacular plant, a stunning plant combination, or any number of other subjects. Think of it as your morning jolt of green.

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Comments

  1. mrspain 06/22/2011

    Thanks for going back to the old way of enlarging the photos. This way all the details of the photo can be seen. Makes me feel like I am in the photo or was there when the photo was taken.

  2. LynnFG 06/22/2011

    These *were* fantastic to see, and I can vouch for you standing amid the patch for hours. I believe we had to physically drag you away. Have fun visiting Stonecrop again this weekend, and a big thanks for the links to nurseries who sell this fabulous, hard-to-find plant.

  3. PeonyFan 06/22/2011

    A great photo with which to start my day--thanks! Although the blooming period is not very long, this orchid has lovely leaves that last a while and provide an interesting mix to the texture of the garden.

  4. Parb 06/22/2011

    Love the Lady's Slippers, too. And thanks for going back to the old way of enlarging the photos. It is so nice to be able to see all the details of the photographs, especially with my slowly aging eyes. LOL!

  5. user-7006895 06/22/2011

    These are lovely! And Stonecrop is always a delight - I am a member there and truly enjoy the gardens there every season.

  6. Chefin1950 06/22/2011

    If you are really interested in having guaranteed winter hardy orchids outside in your garden, you should definitely visit:
    http://www.cypripedium.de/English/english.html

  7. petuniababi 06/22/2011

    Thanks so much for going back to the old way of enlarging the photos.And thanks even more for showing me this beautiful photo.I am new to gardening so i had never seen or heard of this plant.It is simply gorgeous!!I have got to have one.

  8. natiper 06/24/2011

    Is this also belong to the family of orchids? I love the lady's slippers.

  9. RisaMoe 06/28/2011

    I love lady slippers! They are my favorite flower and I grow several varieties. These are 'terrestrial orchids' and hard to grow, but very rewarding. If you want more information on the plants, do a google on 'growing cypripediums' and read as much as you can. Different varieties need different handling and some can take years to flower.

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