Orchid counting
Orchids are, in my mind, the most-exotic of our native flowers.
June 2023 was our high point with 16 orchid flower spikes - 15 common spotted and one pyramidal?
Our young meadow is doing well!
Orchid seed is microscopic.
Unlike other seed it carries no food store of its own and relies on interaction with soil mycorrhizal fungi to provide its water and nutrition.
The establishment of this relationship was believed to be lengthy - seven years was the understanding.
It is now known that the period between seed and first flower is around three years.
Flower spikes are now just showing above the seeding 
grasses.
grasses.
It’s my hope that the wet weather has swelled orchid bulbs giving them greater vigour.
Now eagerly counting, hoping to match last year …. Or even better it..