The rare and beautiful orchid called the Showy Lady Slipper can be seen in many magnificent colors along a segment of Hwy 11 between Greenbush and Baudette along the Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway www.watersofthedancingsky.org.

Showy Lady Slippers are extremely hard to establish or transplant. It not only takes very unique soil conditions to originate the growing of a Showy Lady Slipper, but it also takes seven years of growth for the plant to mature, before it will bloom. The Minnesota DNR and DOT have been working together for several years to help preserve the settings that allow the particularly rare flowers of Minnesota to grow in a natural state along the grasslands adjacent to the highways. With less than 1 percent of the state’s original prairie land remaining, the majority of the original prairie lands are found between highway and railroad right-of-ways.


Annual Wildflower Route Celebration - Williams Garden Club

The City of Williams, located along the Wildflower Route, claims the title of “Orchid Capital of the Nation.” The immediate area surrounding Williams contains over 20 varieties of orchids, adding up to over 10 million flowers. The Williams Gardeners annually stake approximately 40 different wildflowers and provide detailed maps for enthusiasts looking for the unique flowers.

To increase public awareness of this unique area and its flowers, the Williams Gardeners Club annually hosts a Wildflower Route, this year the date is June 19, 2010. Please call Beverley Carlson at 218-783-6701 with questions.

 

Press Release

Williams Gardeners
Sylvia Anderson
1974 70th Ave. NW, Williams, MN 56686
218-783-4125

June 9, 2010

The 2010 Wild Flower Route Celebration, hosted by the Williams Gardeners, will take place Saturday, June 19, at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Williams, MN. The day begins at 1 p.m. at the church with registration for door prizes. Enjoy socializing and viewing the displays. Guest speaker will be Sue Olin, Zippel Bay State Park Assistant Manager and naturalist with a passion for wild flowers. She will share information about wild flowers in the Zippel Bay State Park and surrounding areas.

Members of the Williams Gardeners have scouted the roads for beautiful and unique specimens of local wild flowers and have prepared a map noting location and name of each plant. These maps will be available at the event. After refreshments and door prizes, participants can use the rest of the day to explore the area, photograph the flowers and enjoy nature at it's finest. This event is open to the public and free of charge.

Williams is located on the Borderland Trail, a 75-mile stretch along MN Hwy 11 from Green Bush to Baudette. The trail was dedicated in 1990 by then Governor Rudy Perpich. In addition to the Borderland Trail and the Williams Gardeners marked route, there are Zippel Bay State Park, Beltrami Island State Forest and more in which to observe wild flowers. For an extended stay in the area, there are motels and resorts. Contact Baudette and/or Warroad Tourism Bureaus or Chambers of Commerce for more information.