Monday 20th June 2011
We've been catching up on our garden since arriving home from our motor home holiday last week. Firstly the garden needed cutting back, the lawn mowing and where necessary a few plants moved. I think my garden is at its best in June with all the wild flowers and orchids that have blown in over the years and naturalized. The orchids in the field next to our house are coming into flower and the local industrial estate in Burnley has revealed some surprises we've also headed off into the Yorkshire Dales on our never ending search for new orchid locations.
Southern Marsh Orchids in the fields near our house
On the mowed lawns surrounding the industrial units we found a few Bee Orchids
Our first walk was in Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales on the loveliest of early summer days Here up in the dales the farms are payed to delay from mowing the meadows until the wild flowers and orchids have set seed later in the season.
Besides the Greater Butterfly Orchids There were Hundreds of Fragrant Orchids
Fragrant orchids their perfume drifted across the meadows
The final wow factor of the walk, a colony of about 200 Northern Marsh Orchids
Yesterday was a cool day with passing showers but not deterred we explored Upper Ribblesdale around Ribblehead . This is higher wilder country where the seasons are late and the earlier spring flowers linger on until mid-summer.
In this thicker undergrowth we found the Frog and Twayblade Orchid and other earlier spring flowers
Frog Orchid
Twayblade
Late flowering Marsh Marrigold
Bird's-eye Primrose
Globe Flower
In the more open areas Northern Marsh and Frog Orchids
Northern Marsh Orchid
And finally the tiny Frog orchid, you really have to get your eye in to find this well camouflaged tiny orchid.
Southern Marsh Orchids in the fields near our house
On the mowed lawns surrounding the industrial units we found a few Bee Orchids
Our first walk was in Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales on the loveliest of early summer days Here up in the dales the farms are payed to delay from mowing the meadows until the wild flowers and orchids have set seed later in the season.
The final wow factor of the walk, a colony of about 200 Northern Marsh Orchids
Yesterday was a cool day with passing showers but not deterred we explored Upper Ribblesdale around Ribblehead . This is higher wilder country where the seasons are late and the earlier spring flowers linger on until mid-summer.
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| Water Avens still in flower |
In the more open areas Northern Marsh and Frog Orchids
Some great finds there, love the Frog Orchid.
ReplyDeleteI always think that each year has an abundance of a plant, fly or insect - this year it seems to be the Orchids, everywhere I go there are patches of them, mainly common spotted.
Hello David.
ReplyDeleteCalling into your blog for the first time. Excellent stuff. Just getting into orchids and you were recommended by Geordie Magpie who said that you did like an orchid.......or two. He was not wrong. Looking forward to reading more.
Cheers
John
Wow David, I just love these posts showing orchids in the wild. You find so many varieties too.
ReplyDeleteI also adore the idea of them seeding in your garden from the wild. Just brilliant! That will never happen with me but my new (Garden Show bought) orchid has two flowers this year and I am just thrilled. I must now add a link to this post :-)
Oh lovely...can just imagine the scent of all those fragrant orchids...incredible collection to have so close by...worth coming home from your trip for:)
ReplyDelete