Sea Pinks on the Rocks Click to Enlarge

Needless to say the sea pinks are the most prolific at the lighthouse with huge masses of them growing everywhere. They are not all pink some are white, some almost red, and some a purple. It is a sight to behold and to smell. I did not realize sea pinks had an odour but when there are thousands they definitely do.

Shetland Spotted Heath Orchid Click to Enlarge

The biggest surprise has been the hundreds of orchids that are now growing in the fields around the lighthouse. Everywhere I walk I will come across the beautiful little flowers. They are all colours of blue, pink, and white. The plants are not large but they have multitudes of blooms on each plant. The leaves look just like regular orchid plants except some have spots. I picked a bouquet for my table. (Now that is elegance - a bouquet of over a hundred small orchids). In large amounts like the bouquet they also have a beautiful smell.

I am totally fascinated with the tiny orchids of Shetland and have transplanted one of each colour I like to my garden. I took lots of soil with each plant so I do think they will bloom for years to come. As long as they are blooming I will not leave the lighthouse without my trowel as I just might stumble across an orchid of another colour or shape for the garden.

Flower Lover,

Sharma

You can find more articles in the archive under Island Miniatures/Lighthouse Letters.

I have two books which are directly related to this column. The Last Lighthouse tells how we bought our lighthouse and in Scottish Lighthouses our lighthouse is featured in the 31 lighthouses presented. You can order autographed copies by clicking on the name of the book.

Other books you might be interested in ordering and having me sign are my book for children, Moonbeam Cow, and "Scotland - The Complete Guide and Road Atlas", a beautiful book for which I did the text.