Ian's musings are inspirational. Especially when I have nothing to do in an office lunch hour but think about plants – which does keep me going for the afternoon ! I have always been nervous about touching orchids, but all of Ian's August logs are full of it. So I shall take some action this year.
We have a piece of rough ex-field attached to our garden which I am gradually converting to woodland garden, and after 10 years sheep-free, the rough grass is now scattered with wild Dactylorhiza in various shades. Last year they also started appearing in the lawn as I left the grass unmown where I have drifts of daffs. This year I have not mown for the last three weeks (unusually) due to the extra-warm weather here, and several have also shot up flower spikes in the main lawn. I presume they were mown off weekly last year!
Two years ago I spotted a Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera) right against the base of a Cotoneaster which I had transplanted into the field, and this backs up Ian’s theory about bare but undisturbed ground as I had not weeded round it after planting 5 years back. Needless to say I cannot find any others despite an extensive search of the area. This plant flowered for 2 years, but now the shade has steadily increased it only has one leaf and no flower this year.
So I shall have a go at moving the Butterfly to a brighter spot, and multiplying the best colours and shapes of the Dactylorhiza this August. Thanks, Ian. Oh well, back to work now…....