Orchid Watch 2024:

July 3, 2024 - The Showy Lady Slippers are finished for the year.  If you were able to visit Purdon Conservation Area while they were in bloom, that’s wonderful news!  If you missed them, please mark on your calendars to visit the Showy Lady Slippers in June of 2025.  A reminder that Purdon Conservation Area is open all year long.  We look forward to welcoming you for a visit anytime.

June 21, 2024 - The Showy Lady Slippers are still beautiful, albeit, they are starting to fade off.  They remain at about 50% in bloom and are discolouring to brown – marking the closeness of the end of their season.  Their estimated completion date is by Friday June 28^th.  

June 10, 2024 - The Showy Lady Slippers are at about 80% bloom.  If you’re planning a trip out to see them, this week is the ideal time.
A reminder that the slippers are generally in full bloom around fathers day which will fall on Sunday June 16^th this year.

June 4, 2024 - There’s an abundance of Showy Lady Slippers at Purdon Conservation Area.  The average stock is 12 to 16” tall.  Only a handful are about to bloom at present, but with this warm weather we’re expecting to see some flowers this coming weekend. 

May 22, 2024 - More lady slippers are starting to emerge.  They are ranging from 3 to 16 inches in height - averaging 8-10”.  None are in bloom at this time, there are still lots to emerge!

May 13, 2024 - The orchids are just starting to emerge and are now in the range of 2 inches tall.

Enjoy a stroll along the boardwalk of a rare fen wetland and see the Canada’s largest colony of Showy Lady’s Slipper orchids. Take a hike through an uplands forest up to a breathtaking lookout while traveling 1.7 km of trail.

Purdon Conservation Area is open dawn to dusk, Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. The typical bloom period for the Showy Lady's Slipper Orchids is the third weekend in June to early-mid July.

There is no parking fee but donations are always appreciated.

Special Features

• Full accessible boardwalk
• Wheelchair accessible outhouse
• Parking and picnic area
• Dogs allowed - on leash