Orchids in Their Native Haunts

In the 1990s, we lived in Chicago's bustling Lincoln Park neighborhood. When it came time to settle down, none of the usual suburban destinations struck a chord with us. Some were too big, too busy ... others, too small, too ... consistent.

Bonnie's family had roots in the Indiana Dunes. Her grandparents owned a cottage on Lake Michigan which she visited often when she was young. The Dunes were 45 miles from the hustle of Chicago, but it felt like a world away. Ahh. Just right.

We settled in the small town of Dune Acres, a shoreline community situated within the Indiana Dunes National Park. Dune Acres is the gateway to the world-renowned Cowle's Bog and has been a popular destination for botanists and nature-minded explorers for more than a century. In fact, a longtime resident of Dune Acres, Illinois Senator Paul Douglas, was instrumental in the creation of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in the 1960s.

Once we settled in Dune Acres, it didn't take long to get bitten by the plant bug. One day a neighbor shared a secret: "Would you like me to show you the lady's-slippers?" According to local lore, the large yellow lady's-slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens) formerly grew in some abundance in the town. Over the years, the populations dwindled until only one still-handsome clump remained. We were smitten. Surely, the orchids could be restored to their former prominence, right?

And so it began ..