Norma, Could be someone who's filling their garden as well. Here in Nova Scotia, they are on the endangered list and it is unlawful to pick the plant or the flower. We have them growing in a small meadow, both the pinks and the whites (which are even more rare). We've had folks ask if they could have some for their gardens, in which case I educated them in regards to the fact that it takes seven year for this plant to flower after the seed germinates, and once the flower is picked, the plant will never bloom again. We have 14 prescious 'Ladies' as we call them. They are real treasures!

Have a sloping area? You need to dig out a large area where water can drain away from. that is why a sloping area would be better than a flat area. Also you need to use a more permanent very slow degrade-able substrate, probably a coarse granitic gravel with an addition of pumice (lava rock) if available from a local landscaping materials firm. And to that blend add compost at 2 parts gravel mix to 1 part compost. Plant the cyp (actually a paphiopedilum) slight above the surface of the substrate, mound some of the gravel around the exposed base of the plant and top-dress the entire area with shredded bark used in walk-ways. Use a fine water breaker to water early in the AM. Depending upon heat and wind in your area you may want to just mist down the area daily but only water every 3 or 4 days. The plants can handle some drying provided humidity, given by misting, is sufficient. Good luck.

Bought the lady slipper! $7.99 for a decently sized one in a 3" pot... Very "little shop of horrors" looking. I love it. I also managed to get a few more photos of the non phals at Trader Joe's today - fairly new to all the other varieties but I'll venture my guess as to what they are (if I butcher it then feel free to correct me)... Some sort of oncidium: Miltoniopsis? ??? No idea but it looked cool Maybe a mini dendrobium to the left and a very handsome green lady slipper to the right. Ok that's the end of it... I stopped taking photos because people were looking at me funny.

I think you should offer to plant them out in her yard... And keep a bit for yourself :) they will die otherwise. I'm sure she hasn't had them overwinter in that pot and as a 'non plant person' I don't have much faith in them surviving under those conditions. I would also guess they are barely 'planted' in that pot, it looks more like a shovelful of plant and soil was taken from the garden and dropped into that container. -but they do look very well cared for at the moment!