When I went to cut a piece of grass at the back of the house yesterday, I came across this lovely flower. I think it is a common spotted orchid. I don't know where it came from as I have lived here for many years and haven't seen one before. I hope more will "appear".
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Yes it is! I have some growing out the side door of my office
Leave the area uncut and don't use fertiliser or weedkiller etc ..... they often multiply really well if the conditions are right
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Mobow - now that's a FIND. Fabulous.
Thanks Tom for confirming my identifcation and Dove for the advice. I haven't used any fertiliser or weedkiller and will leave the area uncut and hope it will seed.
How lovely.
We get them all over the lower slopes of hills and in the glens at this time of year. A sea of them appearing in front of you is always a joy, no matter how often I see them. Here's hoping you get a little 'sea' of your own
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi Fairygirl
Thanks for the lovely photo. It must be great to see the orchids en masse growing on the hills and glens. I will leave the flower spike that has appeared and hope it seeds so that I get a little "sea" of my own
Hi, I have been wondering what the numerous flowers that sprang up by my wildlife pond were. Do you think they are an orchid like Fairygirls? If not , any ideas. It is a completely wild spot, damp and the photo is the last one of about 10 or 11 heads on a long thin stem, cannot see leaf or base as in inaccessible area.
Last edited: 06 June 2017 12:25:58
Hi kathie,
The flowers you have growing by your wildlife pond look a bit like the one I found though it's difficult to say as the photo isn't very clear- understandable if the area isn't very accessible. Hopefully they will multiply for you and you''ll be able to get a better photo which others who are more knowledgeable than me will be able to identify for you.
Common spotted orchids look like this once they've developed fully. The leaves have spots on them, hence the name. Sometimes they're a bit more vertical looking as they grow . They don't have numerous flowerheads on one stem though
They're always beautiful Mobow. That pic was taken half way up Beinn Bhuide in Glen Fyne a couple of years ago. The area of orchids was probably covering about a hundred metres square, on the moorland plateau. They're just getting going now on the hills. Hope you get your little sea of them
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This last one is Heath Spotted Orchid (small central lobe).