I’ve blogged, back and forth, about my forthcoming orchid book, Orchid Summer, set to be published by Bloomsbury on 19th April 2018. It’s been the most fabulous project to be involved with, from start to finish – the culmination of a dream decades in the making, I’ve enjoyed no end researching, writing and being part of the publication process. I only hope that people enjoy reading this as much as I’ve enjoyed the journey thus far!
19th April 2018 seems like a long way away, but it’ll be upon us before we know it – is it just me, or are the weeks and months spooling by quicker than ever? I’ve a lot to look forward to before then, not least a really exciting orchid-hunting trip I’m going on at the start of April.
From 7th-14th April next year I’ll be co-leading an Orchid Odyssey holiday on the beautiful Greek island of Rhodes for Greenwings Wildlife Holidays. My co-leader, Yiannis Christofides, is a sublime botanist with a particular interest in orchids – he knows Rhodes inside out, so we’re sure to see some really special flowers. In fact, we’ll be hoping to find between 40 and 50 of the island’s native wild orchid species, including a number of endemic and regional specialties. The range and variety of Ophrys orchids alone makes Rhodes an irresistible destination for the orchid hunter…
Throw in beautiful scenery and friendly folk, good food, a lovely sun-drenched climate after a British winter, and the fact that our visit coincides with the emergence of a host of fabulous butterflies and the heart of spring bird migration, and it becomes a truly spectacular proposition. The pace will be laid-back and there’ll be loads of opportunities to get some great photos of these beautiful flowers. I couldn’t be more excited about this trip if I tried!
And it’s all taking place just a week before Orchid Summer is published! This promises to be a month bursting with orchid potential – and you could join us! You can read all about our Rhodes orchid itinerary on the Greenwings website and, to whet your appetite, there are some past Orchid Odyssey trip reports there too.
Hoping I see you in Rhodes next year…
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