Return of the Ghost

So, after fifteen years, the Ghost Orchid has reappeared.

A friend of mine, Richard, posted yesterday on Twitter, along with a picture of the single spike.

Richard has been an orchidist for three decades, and moments like that when you find something rare or special makes all the fruitless hunts worthwhile.

That is why we go back to the same sites year after year after year. On the offchance that that one time you'll find it, the Holy Grail.

And that's what Richard found.

I have another friend who goes to the the last known site for the plant for two weeks searching every year. And he's been doing that for at least a decade. That he hasn't found it yet isn't for the wont of trying.

Much speculation of what conditions is best for the species, and so it seems the very damp winter and spring is just what it needed to make an appearance.

We will look again this weekend near to us, any maybe we'll get lucky too.