Spring is orchid season – in Sardinia!

If you go hiking or walking in Sardinia in April and May, with a bit of luck you may witness a strange spectacle: adults lying face down on the ground or crouching in strange contortions, taking photos. What is the reason for this peculiar behaviour? The answer may surprise some: they are hunting for the famous Sardinian orchids.

When you hear the word ‘orchid’, you probably think first of the tropical and subtropical plants that adorn many a windowsill in this country. However, many people are unaware that there are also numerous species of orchids in Sardinia, some of which are found only here. However, anyone visiting the island during the hot, dry summer months will not have the chance to encounter these delicate plants, as the orchid flowering season in Sardinia begins at the end of March and ends in May. Sardinian orchids thrive in a wide variety of landscapes: in the maquis, in fields, in forests and in marshlands.

The plants are significantly smaller than their tropical relatives. Inexperienced walkers can therefore easily overlook them. But those who know what to look for will be rewarded with botanical discoveries in a variety of shapes and colours. There are over sixty different species of orchids on the island. The Sardinians call these graceful plants ‘Sennoricas’ (young ladies), and indeed, the colourful flowers are reminiscent of fine velvet and silk garments that no Italian designer could create more beautifully.

So if you visit the island during the orchid blossom season, it's worth keeping your eyes open when you go hiking. You too may soon find yourself lying on the ground with your camera, to the amazement of other walkers, so that you can take these very special photographic souvenirs home with you.

With a Sardinian ‘Adiosu’, I bid you farewell for today.

Yours, Joachim Waßmann