Thirty-two years ago last weekend, my brother @duncanharris5, our cousin the late Alan Bundy and myself made a very special trip to Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Back then our rarest orchids were afforded the protection of secrecy and the only way you could find out where they were was if you knew the right people. Of course the 'right people' had to know you too, they wouldn't just tell anyone the whereabouts of a crippling Orchid! And so it was on 1st June 1982, we all met up with a renown Buckinghamshire botanist following a recommendation from the late, great John Keylock - Somerset botanist extraordinaire.
We were taken into the (at the time) top secret Military Orchid (Orchis militaris) site and shown these wonderful plants up close and personal. We photographed them and we left. You would never have known we'd been there. This weekend we returned for an Open Day at the same site. They are still as mind blowing as I remember them being and still as rare, with only two British sites. But before we visited the Military Orchids we called in at the Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia) site overlooking the Thames, just as we did exactly 32 years ago. These equally stunning plants are found in only a few British sites. I make no apology for the length of this post, be warned!
Monkey Orchid
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| View from the Monkey Orchid reserve, simply beautiful. |
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| Monkey Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Monkey Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Monkey Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Monkey Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Monkey Orchid: R. Harris |
The site is also home to a rare Lady x Monkey orchid hybrid - it's only UK site.
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| Hybrid Lady x Monkey Orchid |
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| Patch of Lady x Monkey hybrids |
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| Goatsbeard: R. Harris |
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| Sainfoin: R. Harris |
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| Yellow Rattle: R. Harris |
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| One of 30 Red Kites that day: R. Harris |
Military Orchid
Now only two sites, this one in Buckinghamshire and one in Suffolk. There use to be a third site in Bucks on private land but those were sadly dug up by orchid collectors. The site is also host to many other lovely orchids and wild flowers. Many of the best spikes are protected from grazing animals by wire cages but still allow good views. The paths do get quite trampled though - a downside of having so many people looking at these wonderful plants
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| Military Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Military Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Military Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Military Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Military Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Military Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Fly Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Fly Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Fly Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Fly Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Greater Butterfly Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Greater Butterfly Orchid, flower close-up: R. Harris |
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| Common Twayblade: R. Harris |
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| Rather scruffy White Helleborine: R. Harris |
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| Fairy Flax: R. Harris |
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| Common Milkwort, pink form: R. Harris |
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| Grizzled Skipper: R. Harris |
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| Garden Chafer: R. Harris |
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| Common Spotted Orchid: R. Harris |
And, the day was not over. En route back it seemed sensible to stop off at another well known site west of Salisbury to try for these stunning Burnt-tip orchids. What a show - one of my favourite orchids:
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| Burnt Tip Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Burnt Tip Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Burnt Tip Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Burnt Tip Orchid: Duncan Harris |
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| Burnt Tip Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Burnt Tip Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Bee Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Bee Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Fragrant Orchid: R. Harris |
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| Common Gromwell: R. Harris |
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| Houndstongue: R. Harris |
There were a few decent butterflies on the wing too including a few mint Marsh Frits, Small Copper, Small Heath and loads of stunning Adonis Blues.
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| Adonis Blue: R. Harris |
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| Adonis Blue: R. Harris |
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| Marsh Fritillary: R. Harris |
We also had at least one Quail calling and several Corn Buntings too. What a great place. All in all we had 13 species of orchid by the end of the trip, although we could have had more if we'd had more time.
I think Alan would have been looking down and smiling today - if he were still with us, I'm sure he would have come along to see them again too.
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