Coteries of orchids

08 Sunday Jun 2025

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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Anacamptis pyramidalis, Bee orchid, British orchids, Dactylorhiza maculata, Dactylorhiza praetermissa, Heath spotted-orchid, native orchids, Ophrys apifera, orchids, Pyramidal orchid, Southern marsh orchid, Spring colour, spring orchids

I was searching for adjectives to describe the many native orchids I’ve been seeing during my recent meanders, then decided that you didn’t really need my blathering to see how sublime they are.

Bee orchids (Ophrys apifera), at Cardiff’s Grangemoor Park. Note the unusual markings on the ‘face’ of the orchid on the right – it looks to me to be crying.

Also from Grangemoor Park, a feast of Pyramidal orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

Heath spotted-orchids (Dactylorhiza maculata) from last Wednesday’s visit to Aberbargoed Grasslands NNR

One of just a few Southern marsh orchids (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) growing on the coal spoil tip at Aberbargoed

Grangemoor’s orchids

02 Sunday Jun 2024

Posted by sconzani in wildflowers

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#WildflowerHour, Bee orchid, British orchids, Common spotted-orchid, Grangemoor Park, native orchids, Pyramidal orchid, Southern marsh orchid

This week’s Wildflower Hour challenge was to find orchids in flower. I love these gorgeous native plants so was very happy to include orchid spotting in a walk to Cardiff’s Grangemoor Park. And I was not disappointed, finding these four species currently in flower.

240602 southern marsh

Southern marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa)

240602 common spotted

Common spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsia)

240602 pyramidal

Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

240602 bee

Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera)

Four orchid firsts

04 Sunday Jun 2023

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

≈ 2 Comments

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British orchids, Common spotted orchid, native orchids, orchid, Pyramidal orchid, Southern marsh orchid, Twayblade

Wherever I walk now, I find orchids beginning to appear, and it’s truly wonderful to see these beauties. Here are the latest …

Common spotted orchid, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park

Twayblade, Lavernock Nature Reserve

Southern marsh orchid, Grangemoor Park

Pyramidal orchid, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park

Thousands of Pyramidal orchids

26 Sunday Jun 2022

Posted by sconzani in flowers, wildflowers

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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

152/366 Pyramids and bees

31 Sunday May 2020

Posted by sconzani in nature, wildflowers

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Anacamptis pyramidalis, Bee orchid, British orchids, Grangemoor Park, native orchids, Ophrys apifera), Pyramidal orchid

You might be wondering what pyramids and bees have in common. Well, in this case, they’re both orchids: the Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) and the Bee orchid (Ophrys apifera), and I was very pleasantly surprised to see rather a lot of them, especially the Bees, during my most recent walk around Grangemoor Park.

200531 pyramidal orchid (1)

With their classic triangular shape, Pyramidal orchids are easy to identify. They usually flower during June and July, and each flower spike can contain up to a hundred individual flowers. Interesting fact: the Pyramidal orchid is the county flower of the Isle of Wight.

200531 pyramidal orchid (2) 200531 bee orchid (2)

Bee orchids are my favourite orchids. Their markings and furry texture may be intended to attract bumblebees (and the flowers also produce a female bee smell, apparently) but it’s their laughing ‘faces’ that enchant me and always make me smile. And the people of Bedfordshire made the perfect choice when they selected the Bee orchid as their county flower.

200531 bee orchid (1)

169/365 Emergence

18 Tuesday Jun 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature, wildflowers

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#365DaysWild, Bird’s-foot trefoil, British moths, Common spotted orchid, moths, Pyramidal orchid, red clover, Six-spot burnet, wildflowers

Remember I said on Friday that they’d be ‘coming soon‘, well here they are. The Six-spot burnet moths have begun to emerge, buzzing around the wildflowers like little red-and-black bumblebees. Delightful!

190618 six-spot burnet (1) 190618 six-spot burnet (2) 190618 six-spot burnet (3) 190618 six-spot burnet (4) 190618 six-spot burnet (5) 190618 six-spot burnet (6)

From garbage to glorious

09 Saturday Jun 2018

Posted by sconzani in birds, insects, nature, parks

≈ 12 Comments

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#30DaysWild, 30 Days Wild, Bee orchid, Blackcap, Brimstone butterfly, Common blue butterfly, Common spotted orchid, Emperor dragonfly, Grangemoor Park, Holly blue butterfly, Large skipper, long-tailed tit, Meadow Brown, Pyramidal orchid, Southern marsh orchid

Day 9 of #30DaysWild saw me at Grangemoor Park, a place that used to be Cardiff’s rubbish dump: when it closed in 1994, it contained an estimated four million cubic metres of garbage, both commercial and household. Now, it’s not only a public park but also a SINC (Site of Importance for Nature Conservation), and is home to a wonderfully diverse range of flora and fauna. My photos show just some of what I discovered there today …

Large skipper butterfly

One of seven Meadow brown butterflies seen today

Male Common blue butterfly

Holly blue butterfly (and tiny friend)

Brimstone butterfly (one of my favourites)

Emperor dragonfly. There were many other dragonflies and damselflies at the pond but they were a bit distant for photos.

One of four newly fledged Long-tailed tits, foraging with their parents

Female Blackcap busy foraging for her family

Pyramidal orchids

Bee orchid – love their ‘faces’!

Southern marsh orchid (I think)

Common spotted orchids

Orchid overdose!

09 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by sconzani in flowers, nature, wildflowers

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Anacamptis pyramidalis, Bee orchid, British flora, British orchids, Common spotted orchid, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Greater butterfly-orchid, native orchids, Ophrys apifera), orchid, Platanthera chlorantha, Pyramidal orchid

170609 Orchids Cosmeston

The meadows at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park are awash with orchids, Common spotted-orchids, (Dactylorhiza fuchsii), Bee orchids (Ophrys apifera), Pyramidal orchids (Anacamptis pyramidalis) and, in a secluded location off the beaten track, a tiny smattering of Greater butterfly-orchids (Platanthera chlorantha). To walk along the paths amongst these beauties is simply magical!