Orchids grow in great profusion in Normandy including in marginal and untended areas such as along roadside verges (see photos below). Spring and early summer this year [2005] have seen a spectacular showing in many places around our home near Rouen.
side of valley in chalk cliffs on the coast near Fécamp :
The European wild orchids are smaller and less spectacular than their tropical counterparts. Nevertheless they are extremely interesting: some are very beautiful, some are sweet-smelling, and many have curious interactions with other living species (such as bumble-bees or other plants or fungi). It seems important to conserve them in (with) their natural habitat.
Their presence is often overlooked by people although they grow in large numbers in wild undisturbed and rather nondescript areas. People (and organisations such as companies or local communities) want to get these areas "under control" - mowing them very short at inappropriate times or spraying chemicals until there is nothing left but short sterile lawn with a few species of "weeds" such as dandelions, daisies, chickweed, and so on.
For instance, a few days after I took the photographs
below, the road edge was mown flat.
This orchid certainly did not have time to set seed in 2005 - hopefully the
bulb will still be present and viable next year [* see '2006' below].
July 2012 - site is being reconstructed
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* the same plant in 2006 >> |
orchid & nature photos © 2005 Jan Wikramaratna <contact@wikramaratna.org >