There are nearly 50 varieties of wild orchids in this region, found high on the causses with scrub oak and juniper, hidden in the vegetation alongside our valley streams, or in full view in unmown lawns and grazed meadows. They vary in height from 10 to 100cm, from the almost invisible to the highly decorative, and are extremely beautiful and fascinating. They are also indicators of a harmony between man and nature which is now rare, increasingly under threat from development and agricultural change. In this workshop we first look at their history and how to identify them. After lunch we visit a nearby site whose owner has worked for over 20 years to promote and safeguard orchids. Bring stout shoes and a camera.