Thursday 17th July 2025

The orchid season is nearly over!

Oh noes!

But yes, all good things have to come to an end, and the 20125 season is growing old, and now is the time of the Helleborines.

Broad leaved h. can grow almost anywhere, though woodland glades and the edge of woodland are good places. So, with 85% of Kent still rural, they could be anywhere and everywhere.

One of the most reliable sites in the county is The Larches near Maidstone, and wit me having arranged a meet there on Saturday, though I had better check first.

And then the weather forecast happened.

The weekend is due to be very wet and very stormy, with Saturday morning at ten, when I arranged the meet, due to be the wettest and stormiest time of all.

So, the meet is cancelled.

But we will go anyway.

I call Fran to see if she wants to go.

She does.

So, after coffee and breakfast, we go to Herne Bay to pick her up, then along Thanet Way heading west to the site.

Fran had never been, so was keen to come, so we park on the side of the road, collect our stuff and walk into the wood, picking the lower path which will lead us to the first of the colonies.

Each season is different in terms of orchids, other plants, and insects and other animals, so a week ago many of the spikes were just about to reach their best. A week later: well, many spikes were already burned to a crisp, each flower turning gold and dry once pollinated.

Thankfully, there are three other colonies, and these were in open sun in a managed large glade, but this was very surprising.

Further up, near the first tree, there were more burned spikes, but others, just coming into flower, which must have benefitted from the recent rain.

The top tree had many spikes around, most partially gone over, but some worth snapping, including the variegated plant which was yet to flower.

We had also seen many Carline thistles, and Common Fleabanes coming into flower, but Fran also saw a Blue fleabane just opening its tiny petals.

Down the path, many more spikes, most only partially open were found, and some photographed.

Jools then took Fran to see the Yellow birdsnests on the gallop nearby, in case they were a no show at our next stop.

A half hour's drive down the M2, then onto the A2 past Canterbury brought us to Barham, where last year, some 2,500 Yellow Birdsnests were recorded. Its not an orchid, but is parasitic like Birds-nest orchids.

We park in the area in front of the wood, and I walk up the track looking left and right, knowing what it was, and what it looks like.

I walked half a mile up the down, then back down. At least it was cool under the beech tree canopy.

Where were they? Asked Jools.

They were here, I said pointing at an area of dried leaves near the entrance.

Fran then saw the first spike, and in the two minutes we saw maybe 30 or more spikes, most emerging, but some fully grown.

Now you can see how a similar plant, the Ghost Orchid, can be so easily overlooked when there's just the one of them.

And then onto the long shot, to the old familiar hard standing and the walk up through the woods, along an overgrown gallop to check on the progress of the Violet Helleborines.

I thought it a fool's errand, and wondered, as we huffed our way up, why we even looking.

Up on the top of the down, I thought I saw a spike in sunlight to my right. I set off and found three spikes, all in bud, but no more than a few days from opening.

A few yards away, a group of five, and even closer. I went to walk away when Fran noticed the two lowest flowers on one spike were actually open.

Amazed, we took shots.

None on the other side of the track, until I nearly stepped on three more spikes, though these were still unfurling.

Just one more species of the season now, though we shall return in a week to check on these.

We walked back to the car, then drove to the Black Robin where the kitchen was still open, so we order cold drinks and sandwiches.

The sandwiches, when they came were like a meal in themselves.

It was half two by then, so we took Fran back to Hern Bay, back up the A2 and onto Thanet Way. After dropping her off, back onto Thanet Way and to Ramsgate before turning south past Sandwich and to home.

Phew.

A fine, fine day. Much better than working for sure.

I caught up with the latest stage of Le Tour, then there was the small matter of England v Sweden in the Euros. England two down after half an hour, and out of sorts. Then scored twice in two minutes in the final ten minutes to take it to extra time.

Then penalties.

Only five out of nearly twenty spot kicks were scored, but England win, and go to the semis.