View allAll Photos Tagged orchids
There is a place, near to the sea in a reserve, where CSOs and SMOs interbreed like crazy and create a wide range of colourful, shapely and robust hybrids.
I am not going to try to identify which is which, but just glory in the diversity of these Dachts.
This was the only orchid we found growing in the forest near the Bella Vista Cloud Forest in Ecuador.
Orchids at the exhibition at Kew Gardens.
My first attempt at selective desaturation using layer masks. Processed the background through neatimage.
I wanted to do more Macro work with flowers, but felt really odd buying flowers for myself. I asked my Husband to pop down to our local florist and pick something that wasn't a rose. I did not expect Orchids.
This last shot makes me want to catch water in mid-air. The orchids will live at least for the weekend. I will try again.
This is a flower of a southern swamp orchid that I bought last week. The spike is about 1m tall. The nurseryman was angry that NPWS has let the feral pigs in Bunjlung NP get out of control and they have devastated this orchid. It was apparently formerly quite common in the swamps of the Park but is now almost extinct. It is very beautiful which makes the story even sadder.
There will be a break in blogs and picture uploads as I am off on my travels for work, and will not take my laptop with me. So, despite it being only four in the afternoon, today's post is coming, as I have to get up in the middle of the night to catch my flight in the morning.
So, Sunday morning.
Let's go to Samphire Hoe!
Why not?
Samphire Hoe has once of the largest populations of Early Spider Orchids in the country, certainly in Kent, but it being a country park, its best to go early before the dogwalkers and joggers are out in force.
So, down on the Hoe just before eight, parked up and instead of going along the sea wall, we go beside the railway. And even before we reach the gate to that track, I had found 19 flowering spikes, including one with 6 open flowers.
This is incredible.
We walk right along to Abbostscliff, and find close to 90 spikes, most already flowering. On the way we meet a nice young man, Joe, down from Surrey to check on the orchids, so we walk and chat.
We take him to the foot of the cliff, and we find another dozen large spikes there, and on the shelves dotting the cliff face we see another thirty of forty spikes, again most in flower.
But my knee was suggesting we had done enough, and it was a ten minute walk, 15 minute hobble back to the car, past the worm-danglers.
It was a relief to get to the car, and slump into the seat to drive home, to Capel, then back towards Dover.
Once home I check in for the flight, Jools makes breakfast and coffee, while outside the clouds part and we are blessed with warm sunshine.
Bacon butties are eaten for lunch, and then with ice pack strapped on, I watch Palace beat Liverpool to shake up the title race. Or give it to Citeh, depends on how cynical you are.