Sunday 5th June 2016

I not merely have a night of broken sleep, it is fractured. And then I lay asleep until half seven, no nearly quarter to eight. Jools hears me stir so puts on the coffee.

We have left over pastries for breakfast, and two cups of coffee before I ask the inevitable question; are you coming to look at some orchids, or staying here to do some gardening? THe answer was gardening. So, I could decide where and when I went out, and once again with the forecast being for a day of unbroken sunshine, even if at half eight in the morning, it was still cloudy, but I convinced myself that the weather was coming from the north, and in that direction lay clear blue skies.

I set off hoping that the sunshine would break through, and at first it looked like it would. My first port of call at Pegwell, where there was a naughty colony of Southern Marsh and Common Spotted that interbreed like you wouldn't believe, producing a range of wonderful hybrids. It might be a bit early though.

I park near some houses, then walk through the swing gate opposite, along a path and over a fallen tree, and there, if you look carefully were orchids. But knowing the site, I know the glade where to look, and away from the path there are orchids of all shapes and sizes, with the monster hybrid from last hear at least 18 inches high and may more days of growing still to do. I snap the CSOs and SMOs, and the ones inbetween. Not all out now by any means, but still wonderful to be out, and having found my first target of the day, I felt in a good mood.

A neighbouring site should reveal Bee, yellow Man and more Southern Marsh: so after a short drive, I find myself walking down the steps to the site, then picking my way through the undergrowth to the easiest place to find; the Man Orchids.

For some reason, the Man here are bright yellow in colour, with only an outline of red, very different form any other local sites, and bearing more of a resemblance to some at Darland. My actions raise the curiosity of a couple of dog walkers, I mean what else would I be here fore before ten on a cloudy Sunday morning? Orchids of course, I would have told them.

And sure enough, in deep undergrowth I see the yellow spikes, something between 30 and 50 of them, intertwined with the long grass, but looking splendid in the bright light. Although the sun was yet to break through. I snap them, then notice a beetle climbing one of the pikes, I wait to snap him as he circles the thinning spike, and I snap him with mouthparts full of bright yellow pollen.

I snap some more, then thoughts turn to the sign that summer really is here; the Bee Orchid. I had heard reports none had been seen so far in Kent, but I was hopeful, last year the first had been seen on May 25th, but as this year had been a little cooler. I walked five yards and see a massive spike with four open flowers showing already, it is the most impressive Bee spike I have ever seen. I search the site and find many more flwoering spikes, and many more yet to open; another great year ahead for the Bee.

I walk back to the car, consider treating myself to an ice cream from the kiosk that was just opening, but there is already a queue, so I decide to drive off, and go to Barham to check on the Lesser Butterflies and the paler Lady that grow there.

It is a pleasant drive through what was once the heart of the Kent coalfields, but is now just wandering country lanes and gently swaying crops. I make my way to Barham, and gird my loins once again for the climb to the top of the down, and the look for the Lesser Butterfly. In the end I find 5 spikes, four very close to each other and one right beside the path but not where I remembered it, but clearly visible with the lower flowers now open.

I snap a couple of them, then go to look for the Hellebories I know I saw three years back, but once again they have failed at this site, so my search for the Sword Leaved will go on for a forth year. Back down the hill, past the Early Purples that are still hanging on, and over the road to check on the Lady. And in truth not much of a change from the previous week; most have lost their spikes, so it is a sadder place, but just might be one of those years here. The Twayblades, although numerous, are not in such massive numbers either, and I find just one large Fly too.

But I am on a roll, and the next stop is to be for the Birds Nest, which are so reliable in another tiny wood a few minutes drive from here. As soon as I walk inside, I see spikes everywhere, an odd kind of pale green colour, but most now having flowering spikes. There are not like normal plants, they leach off other plants for their food, so are not green, odd even for an orchid. The White Helleborines which can also be found here, are still at least a week form opening, which means I won't see them here as the season moves on out in open country.

Final call is at the top of the downs, near to Dover to look on the colony of regular Man Orchids, in the kerbside reserve. Since I was her four weeks agai before we went to Japan, they have come on of course, but elsewhere the cow parsely is now in flower, and inbetween the orchid spikes there ore countless ox-eyed daises

There are dozens of spikes, of all sizes, and in just about perfect condition. I see form the lack of trampled grass, that no one has been here for edays, maybe weeks. So I take my shots and leave, leaving the site as nearly as good condition as I found it.

I go back home for lunch; Scotch eggs and cheesy bread, which is very good. We also have bowls of fresh strawberries and raspberries to finish off; a lovely meal and so full of summer tastes.

The days passes and I pass it with reviewing my shots, writing blogs and snoozing. And mowing the lawn. As Jools had been working all weekend making the garden look wonderful, the least I could do was mow the grass. Once done it looks fabulous, so I celebrate with a cold beer before thinking of cooking dinner.

Breaded aubergine and pasta salad, of course. A wonderfully light and tasty meal, more tastes of summer. And somehow it is eight in the evening, and time to get ready for the tribulations of work on the morrow. We sit outside for a while, before each having a shower and being in bed by half nine, and already sleepy heads are dropping.