A photo tour of Jersey - The Eric Young Orchid Foundation

PHOTO TOUR

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Eric Young Orchid Foundation

Tucked away on the edge of Victoria Village in Trinity is the Eric Young Orchid Foundation. For anyone passionate about flowers, photography or art I personally regard this as a 'must see' venue in the island, simply for the visual feast it provides, beautifully exhibiting nature at her very best.

The elegant but simple exterior of the buildings belies the reputation of the Foundation as one of the finest collections of orchids in the world. They have won several international awards and are now widely acknowledged as unsurpassed experts in the cultivation of this species.

A pathway (wheelchair friendly) meanders between the plants and there are one or two benches dotted about in quiet places where the visitor can just stop and enjoy the surroundings.

The orchid house is beautifully staged. Moving and still water features intermingled with lush tropical plants form the backdrop for stunning blossoms.

Some are classically beautiful and some are weird and wonderful.

Go equipped with a camera or even a small sketch pad if you're artistically inclined, and when you think you've seen it all, walk back and look again. There is just so much to take in that you will undoubtedly have missed half of it.

While the orchids are the stars of the show, the background plants also thrive in the ideal conditions and there are 'uber-healthy' examples of what we usually see as run of the mill houseplants, as well as tropical beauties.

This is not a vast complex with several buildings to explore - just the main orchid house and the cultivation greenhouses. Nor is it really a place to sit and have a coffee afterwards because refreshments have been kept to a vending machine and a couple of small tables (albeit in the pleasant reception area). That being said, if you are visiting the island, I recommend placing this high on your list of places to see. I have reams of photos from my various visits and the subject matter is so unbelievably stunning that it's actually hard to take a bad one.

I once asked a member of staff whether there was a particularly good time to visit to see the collection at its very best. The answer was: 'probably January'. Orchid enthusiasts will undoubtedly know whether this is true but having been at various times of the year I have never been disappointed.

For opening times and entry prices please visit the Eric Young Orchid Foundation site here.

The Foundation is tucked away in the countryside, so much so that I'm sure many islanders wouldn't know how to get to it. For my rather rudimentary directions, please click here.

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