With temperatures hovering around 30C for the past few days I think high summer has arrived and definitely time 'to make hay while the sun shines'. Our wildflower meadow mentioned in my earlier blog was a riot of colour and insects back in June,but on the 5th of July it was cut to make hay.Five days later under a baking sun the hay was baled after being repeatedly turned and dried in the sun during the intervening days.In a damp corner of the meadow is a colony of Heath Spotted Orchids ( I counted 132 plants) many of which had not set seed.These plants were cordoned off and not mown to allow them to finish flowering.This year has been a good one for orchids.I saw huge numbers of Heath Spotted Orchids on a recent trip to the Outer Hebrides.Further south in the Cotswold while walking in the valley of the Windrush I came across three spectacular Bee Orchids right next to the footpath ..........wow!But the best was still to come; last week I took a walk in the sanddunes at Morfa Harlech and found another five Bee Orchids and hundreds of Pyramidal Orchids,Northern Marsh Orchids and Marsh Helleborines.
 |
| Bee Orchid |
In addition to the orchids there were lots of colourful plants including Evening Primrose, Ladies Bedstraw, Carline Thistle, Rest Harrow,Portland Spurge, Birds-Foot Trefoil and Yellow Rattle.
I wonder whether any former A-level Geography and Biology students will read this and remember their field work in Harlech dunes? The one thing I remember is always smelling like 'pot-pourri' after spending a day in the dunes with all those lovely scented flowers!
