First Orchids (1 Viewer)

It seems that everthing is late this year, but yesterday I found that the first orchids are now comming out.
Along the Purbeck cliffs are thousands of Early Spider and a small group of Green-veined, also the Early Purple are just comming into flower in my local wood.
Lorne.

Lovely photos Lorne :clap:


Haven't seen any orchids up here in Northumberland yet but, over the past week or two, so many flowers HAVE suddenly sprinted into growth! I can barely keep up!
My knowledge of flowers is abysmal so this year I have vowed to keep a field guide on me at all times so I can look stuff up and hopefully increase my knowledge considerably!

Perhaps I should hang the bins up for the year and just become a full-time botanist!

Thanks Gill, I knew these Early Spider were very restricted in England but I have just come across this note in the Anne and Simon Harrap guide that says "A Red Data Book species classified as Near-threatened and specially protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981".
It does seem a shame that the land owners 'The National Trust' have allowed their (I presume) tennant farmers to have cattle on this land that are eating and generally 'trashing' these plants before they have any chance of setting seed.
Lorne