05 Friday May 2017
Posted in flowers, nature, spring, wildflowers
This does what it says on the tin: The Early purple orchid (Orchis mascula) is one of the 56 species of native orchid to be found in Britain, it flowers early in spring and is usually the first orchid to flower each year, and it’s a magnificently imperial shade of purple.
15 Friday Jul 2016
Posted in flowers, nature, wildflowers
Tags
British orchids, Common spotted orchid, Common twayblade, Early purple orchid, native orchids, Southern marsh orchid
In the past, when I heard the word orchid, I would think of the exotic tropical species to be found in places like Singapore and other Asian countries. Now I know there is an entirely different kind of orchid that is a British native and, while not as spectacular in appearance as some of the exotics, these natives are, I think, even more beautiful.
The flower spikes stand tall, like sentinels, amongst the more flippant flora of the meadows and chalk grasslands, though the individual flowers are delicate little poppets, with a surprising range of patterns and hues. This is partly because they hybridise easily which can make them difficult to identify. I think I have here examples of the Common twayblade, Early purple, Southern marsh and Common spotted orchids.
10 Friday Jun 2016
Posted in insects, nature, wildflowers
You might think I’ve gone a little bonkers with today’s choice of site for day seven of Wales Biodiversity Week, but you’d be wrong. Officially known as Juncton 32, the Coryton roundabout, where the M4 motorway and the A470 spin around together, is the large roundabout in Wales and one of the largest in Britain. That means it contains large areas of green space within its boundaries and, as the Cardiff Naturalists Society can verify, it is a very rich habitat for all manner of plants and insects.
Yesterday was my first visit to this place. If you can ignore the constant traffic noise and the buzz from the large power pylons, it is a lovely patch for a wander, with parcels of mature trees and wedges of flower-filled meadows, which have the added bonus of an abundance of native orchids. Several species can be found here apparently, the Common spotted and Bee orchids, Twayblade and Broad-leaved helloborines, as well as the Pyramidal orchid. I also found quite a few critters enjoying their efflorescent surroundings. It was a most unexpectedly biodiverse location!
earthstar 
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