Wildflower Wednesday: There's an orchid in my lawn!
My wild and woolly front lawn has just got a little woollier with the surprise addition of the above beauty. I spotted a strange looking spike emerging a couple of weeks ago and hoped it was what it's turned out to be: a lovely, lovely orchid. This one's a pyramidal orchid ( Anacamptis pyrimidalis ), which according to the link likes a milder climate and chalk or limestone grasslands. It also goes on to say that it's developed a liking for the more artificial kind of environment - such as beside roads and canals - so perhaps a front lawn on a limey clay soil is just the kind of place it likes to be nowadays. I'm delighted it's chosen my front garden! I've asked NAH to refrain from mowing the lawn for a while to enable it to set seed, though he's keen to mow the 'meadow' now No Mow May has finished. Perhaps we now have the perfect compromise, leave the front lawn so there's taller herbiage there with a lower back lawn to offer the shorter grass
Purr!
ReplyDeleteIt's not often he stays still long enough for a close-up photo! Purr indeed :)
DeleteGreat capture, Michelle �� wishing you a good evening!
ReplyDeleteThanks Shirley and have a good evening too! Has the thaw set in yet?
DeleteHa ha - I saw someone posting a picture of their dog's heart shaped patch today too.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend whose dog has a heart shape on their nose :)
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