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Tag Archives: British orchids

The last orchids

28 Sunday Aug 2022

Posted by sconzani in autumn, flowers, wildflowers

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Autumn Lady’s-tresses, British orchids, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, orchids, Spiranthes spiralis

Perhaps it’s a consequence of this summer’s exceptionally hot dry weather or maybe it’s due to the location’s proximity to the recently rejuvenated children’s playground and trampling by eager feet; whatever the reason, this year’s display of Autumn lady’s-tresses at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park is disappointing to say the least. Last year (Spiralling orchids, Sep 2021), I counted at least 30 flower spikes; this year so far there are just five.

220828 autumn lady's-tresses

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An opulence of orchids

24 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, plants, wildflowers

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British orchids, British wildflowers, Broad-leaved helleborine, Epipactis helleborine, native orchids, orchid

I took these photos of Broad-leaved helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) ten days ago, on 13 July, and even then I had expected them to have shrivelled in the sweltering heat. Now, after the heatwave, I imagine they will have wilted, drooped, possibly died off completely but I will go back soon to check on them as they have such lovely flowers.

220724 broad-leaved helleborine

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The Bees are buzzing

29 Wednesday Jun 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bee orchid, British orchids, native orchids, orchid

Yesterday I went for a meander to check how the orchids were doing this year on the Cardiff side of the River Ely. You might remember in early June last year I blogged about the Fiesta of Bee orchids happening along the verges of Ferry Road near Cardiff Bay. I hoped I hadn’t left it too late for this year’s display; the verges are a little more overgrown, the grasses taller, but the Bee orchids are flowering again in their hundreds and look just as amazing.

220629 bee orchids

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Thousands of Pyramidal orchids

26 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

British orchids, British wildflowers, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, native orchids, Pyramidal orchid

I learned, earlier this week, that the rangers and volunteers at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park do an annual count of the orchids growing in the east paddock. On Friday 17 June, they counted an amazing 4828 Pyramidal orchids (as well as 5254 Common-spotted and 155 Bee orchids). These are just a few of those splendorous Pyramidals.

220626 pyramidal orchids

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Orchids on the heath

19 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Aberbargoed Grasslands, British orchids, Dactylorhiza maculata, Heath spotted-orchid, orchids

Variations on a theme…. Stunning Heath spotted-orchids (Dactylorhiza maculata) from a recent visit to Aberbargoed Grasslands NNR.

220619 heath spotted-orchid (1)220619 heath spotted-orchid (2)220619 heath spotted-orchid (3)220619 heath spotted-orchid (4)

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An orchid surprise

05 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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British orchids, British wildflowers, Dactylorhiza praetermissa, orchids, Southern Marsh-orchid

The site where I usually see Southern marsh-orchids (Dactylorhiza praetermissa), Cardiff’s Grangemoor Park, has been closed for several months (it’s a former landfill site and the aged infrastructure that manages escaping methane gas and the leaching of contaminated water into the adjacent river is being upgraded). So, it was a thrilling surprise to discover three of these beauties in the damp lower edge of a local meadow where they’ve not been recorded before.

220605 southern marsh-orchid

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Happiness is …

29 Sunday May 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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Bee orchid, British orchids, Ophrys apifera, orchid

… seeing my first Bee orchid for 2022!

220529 Bee orchid

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First and second

22 Sunday May 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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British orchids, Common spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, orchids

It’s amazing what a bit of rain can do. I’ve been watching the rosettes of Common spotted-orchids in various locations over the past week or so as their leaves flesh out and their flower spikes develop but I was still surprised to see this year’s first two plants with open flowers during my morning walk.

220522 common spotted-orchid (1)

They may be common but they are truly glorious, and I can’t wait for the time when the meadows are full of their flowers.

220522 common spotted-orchid (2)

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Twayblades

15 Sunday May 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British orchids, Common twayblade, Neottia ovata, orchid, Twayblade

You could’ve knocked me down with a feather when I spotted these Twayblades (Neottia ovata) during this morning’s walk. I’ve visited this place at least once a month for the last five years, probably more frequently at this time of year to look for butterflies and other insects, yet I’d never noticed these orchids before.

220515 twayblades (1)

And there were plenty of them – 20, 30, possibly more. Their green colour does mean they blend into the background of other plants but still. It was a lesson, to always pay attention … because just look at the beauty I’ve been missing!

220515 twayblades (2)

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Early-purple

22 Friday Apr 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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British orchids, Early-purple orchid, native orchid, Orchis mascula

I have no fungi to share this Friday so let’s have a floral Friday theme instead. This sublime bloom is my first orchid of the year, an Early-purple (Orchis mascula), one of three surprise finds during a woodland walk on Wednesday.

220422 early purple orchid

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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