Friday 7 May 2010

Minorities among majorities

One of the closest pieces of woodland to the village, Seven Acre Wood, has generally been ignored because of the stories told by Mrs K that she was warned away from it as a girl, because of the gypsies. There's none there now, and after a kind email from Graham (once of this parish) I had a look, and was pleasantly surprised.
Not only are there about 40 Early Purple Orchids to be found, but other interesting plants including Herb Paris.
The orchids show red in a sea of blue, under the oppressive canopy that is gradually closing in, shutting out the light.
On Park Gate Down, their are a few spikes standing in the open, surrounded by the yellow of Cowslips. There seems to be more symbiosis here, but the yellow is stunted and hunched, a poorer showing than was expected.

Lady Orchids are unfurling their buds into their distinctive flowers at Yockletts bank, though whoever first called them "Lady" was spinning a strange line.

I often overlook Twayblades, because of their green colour, diminutive size and quiet demeanour, but close up they have their charm. Every minority is important in its own way.

3 comments:

Greenie said...

Steve ,
Haven't seen any Twayblades in full flower here .
Nothing to worry about with the gender of the Lady Orchids .
David Lang's 'Britain's Orchids' describes the broad central lobe as 'divided into two slightly rounded , wavy-edged lobes , sometimes with a median TOOTH ' ?
Any Monkey rosettes showing yet ?

Warren Baker said...

Bit of a hidden message in this post Steve??

Kingsdowner said...

Thanks for the description, Fred - too much information?

Warren, subliminal eh? I think Fred missed it.