Wednesday 24th May 2023

Through the long, dark winter days, we dream of the warm spring days, when we can walk in the countryside observing the fabulous Kentish foral bounty that the county has to offer.

This was very much one of those long, warm, sunny and windless spring days, and I did visit several orchid sites, took lots of photos, and all while showing a fried round, thus having someone to talk to all day, and to slump, satisfied in the pub at the end of the afternoon, pint of foaming beers in hand.

Al is a farmer, and last year I went to visit his farm as they have turned field margins into wildflower friendly areas, so when he said he had a few Southern Marsh Orchids, he meant he had thousands.

Thousands and thousands.

And Al asked if I would take him round. So I said I would. I would be visiting sites anyway. So why not have company?

After coffee and a rushed breakfast, I drive Jools to the factory, drop her off on the promenade, then high tail to Stanford where his farm was. Al was relaxing on a bale of hay, sipping from a mug of tea.

"Ready?"

Ready.

He got in, and I take us to the first orchid site, where we would find more and more Late Spiders, the first he has seen, and the bank is dotted with spikes, half of which were in flower.

We linger for half an hour, he getting shots, and I retaking man of the ones I had taken on Tuesday.

Its a short drive to Denge Wood, along the valley of a minor winterbourne, that seldom flows, and when it does, it trickles, really. Through Petham, and out into the woods, nabbing the final parking space on the lane.

It is a perfect day. The sun is high in the blue sky, and the trees are now laden with fresh foliage, on the woodland floor the buebells had gone to seed, and the summer flowers, though not in flower yet, are reaching for the sky.

Its a mile walk along the woodland drive to the reserve, its not quite level, but is pleasant enough, and there are things to see both sides, and the possibilities of seeing a butterfly or two. In the end, a couple of Speckled Woods were all we saw. Up the final slope to the reserve, down the steps, and begin looking for the fabulous Duke of Burgundy butterflies.

Its not quite half nine, it had been a cool night, so any butterflies out would be lethargic and basking, a couple were disturbed from the long grass as we walked. We managed to get shots of the Dukes, so then we could concentrate on the orchids.

Bonsai Bank is best known for the large numbers of Lady Orchids, and after a couple of years of falling numbers, this seems to be a better year, with spikes repopulating the upper slopes of the reserve, though we saw no pure white spikes, but some salmon pink ones, and a fine hyper-coloured one, so dark the purple was nearly black.

We walk back along the lower path, seeing many Greater Butterflies, but none in flower.

It is quite the hike back to the car, most of it uphill, which my back made it clear it was unhappy about.

Al then said, did I want to go to a private wood to look at more orchids?

Well, yes!

We were off to see Ann, who runs a farm in one of the valleys that cut through the downs, and above the fields are her woods.

We pulled up in the car, and the family were out expecting us, so we stood around having a chat and gossiping, before we climbed into Ann's car and she took us through meadows of waving grass to a makeshift style into the woods.

A hundred yards in, we come to the first orchids: Lady, Twayblades, Fly and Butterflies, the last of which were not yet in flower, so would they be Greater or Lesser? The answer came a few minutes later wit a single spike partially open. They were greater.

So, I know that at this end of the valley the Butterflies are Greater, but about a mile further along, on the other side fo the valley, they are Lesser. Wonder what makes the dfference, and if it is just being on different sides of the valley?

Something to think about.

Back at the farm we were treated to flasses of apple juice which is made on the farm, a selection to try, from sweet to sharp. Sharp is best, and I was given three bottles of juice for Jools.

Two more calls to make: the first at Woolage to show the emerging Birds-nests and masses of White Helleborines. despite it being a couple of miles from the farm, neigher had been here before, and the numbers of Helleborines are remarkable. Birds-nests were photographed, and from there we went to the last site, PGD to see the Monkeys.

The car park was full, and people were parking on the banks of the lane, but two cars were just leaving as we arrived, so we reversed in once they left, and we could walk to the entrance to the reserve.

JUst up the down were the most advanced spikes, several fully open and looking gloriously made wit flowers resembling monekys, falling over each other. At least when viewed through my camera eyepiece.

We take shots, then walk down to the far end of the reserve to see the Fly that were open, and again check on status of Butterfly Orchids, and greaterones again. No spike yet fullyformed, and at least two weeks from opening.

And that was that, a full day, and I had 90 minutes to kill, so I suggested retiring to the Drum Inn near the farm for a pint and reflection, which is what we did. Looking quite small from the outside,The Drum is a fine modern pub that keeps good ale and does good food, by all accounts. We sank into plump armchairs and taked about what we had seen through the day.

That gave me half an hour to get to Hythe to be on time at five to collect Jools from the factory, and drive us home for our dinner.

I cooked fresh asparagus in butter and made garlic bread.

Lovely.