Country Life – 30th November 2002

The rich and famous are putting pen to paper to save Britain’s endangered orchids, says Sanjida O’Connell

No flower reduces sane people to gibbering obsessive’s quite so effectively as an orchid. The sheer diversity of orchids; their rarity; petals “monstrous as metaphors”, as Oscar Wilde wrote; and the uncanny ability of some species to mimic insects — all this breeds intense passions.

The celebrated Victorian plant hunter F. W. Burbridge risked his life in Borneo searching for new and rare orchids. He was reduced to eating rats and drinking from pitcher plants to survive, and when he lost both his horse and his boat he rode to Sarawak’s capital, Kuching, on a buffalo.

Some of the 50 British orchid species, such as the common spotted and early purple, are widespread. But others, such as the lady’s slipper, are rare and can be found only in one or two places in the country.

Another endangered rarity is the early spider orchid. This tiny plant, a few centimetres high, grows on Dorset’s coastal grasslands and almost nowhere else. It is the logo of the Dorset Wildlife Trust, which has come up with a simple idea to raise cash to protect the county’s orchids: an internet auction of celebrity orchid paintings.

Joely Richardson, Sean Bean, Jane Horrocks, Alan Titchmarsh, Bill Oddie and Sir Paul McCartney are among those who have donated almost 250 drawings, sketches and paintings. Their works are sold over the internet in batches of a dozen paintings every ten days.

The current auction, which runs until December 6, includes paintings by Lorraine Kelly, Sara Cox, Jack Charlton, Cat Deeley, Richard E. Grant and Sally Gunnell.

Dorset’s passion for collecting celebrity orchid paintings began as a bit of fun, says Peter Scupholme, the trust’s chief executive. “We thought we would get 20 or so, but it took off and the response has been fantastic.”

Many artists are likely to have been inspired by Dr David Bellamy, president of the wildlife trust, who mailed his own orchid drawing to every celebrity involved. “I drew an imaginary one — Cypripemium bellamyensis or the botanist’s slipper,” says Bellamy, whose favourite specimen is the fen orchid, “because, like me, it likes wet places.”

The celebrities involved range from Ben Adams, singer in the pop band A1, who is the youngest at 20, through to the 90-year-old comedian Sir Norman Wisdom. The pictures are almost as varied as the plants.

Some celebrities, such as Gunnell, have submitted stunning watercolours, while others have opted for an oblique approach: the comedian Graeme Garden has drawn his in the style of Edvard Munch’s Scream.

Others have gone for humour: the artist Chris Rose drew a sergeant in place of the military orchid. The television gardener Charlie Dimmock has combined both in a poster — the central flower is beautifully painted and surrounded by cartoons — a lavatory for the bog orchid, for instance.

Deeley, a television host, has depicted an autumn lady’s tresses as a queen.
Fame, of course, is no guarantee of artistic ability. Bellamy’s botanist’s slipper was rather sketchy, and he cheerfully admits that he failed O-level art.

“I think it encouraged people,” says Scupholme. “You look at it and think, ‘I could do better than that’.” Sara Cox, Radio 1’s breakfast show presenter, says of her spider orchid: “Normally I’m good at drawing, but you wouldn’t think so to look at my picture.”

Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye, has written on his piece of paper: “I can’t draw,” and added a box with the word “orchid” inside. Since some of these paintings are lacking in artistry, is there a danger that they will fail to sell? “In those cases, it’s often the name that attracts people,” Scupholme says. Cox believes that her painting will sell for “more than a plant pot and less than a grow bag”.

This could be your chance to buy a Christmas present that really makes a difference.