Orchids.

I recently took a walk along a very overgrown footpath close to me. I don't usually walk this route as it can be very overgrown in summer  and extremely wet in winter! I knew there were a few Early Spotted Orchid plants there from my last visit but what I found stunned me! The first few plants were found in shady areas beneath trees and brambles but when the scrub opened out to areas of rough grassland the orchids were everywhere with a conservative estimate of over 500 plants in one small area.

 An amazing sight. As well as the orchids it was nice to find some Foxgloves in full flower.

Bee Orchids have faired badly locally this year. From the eighteen rosettes I found earlier in the spring only one flowered with the rest being eaten by rabbits.