Wild Orchids UK & IE

Lovely plant 🤩

Some early signs of Spring in a local woodland; Hazel buds, Hawthorn buds, Dog's Mercury, Bluebell shoots, Lords and Ladies, and a sizeable colony of Early Purple orchid rosettes.
#WildFlowerHour
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
@ukorchids.bsky.social

They are perennial so the rosettes at least should be there.

Are you spotting orchid rosettes in your area?
Would you like to be able to recognise native orchids before they come into bloom?
Try this helpful #WildFlowerID guide which Mike Waller of @ukorchids.bsky.social fame created for @nhm-london.bsky.social:
www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/id...

Less than two weeks to go to order via the Kickstarter 👍🏼

A timely reminder from @annashergold.bsky.social to look out for #orchid rosettes while you're hunting for flowers, 'tho they don't count for #NewYearPlantHunt.
Need some help IDing orchids before they bloom? Try this helpful guide by Mike Waller @ukorchids.bsky.social: www.nhm.ac.uk/take-part/id...

@ukorchids.bsky.social Early Purple Orchid pushing through in West Sussex woodland

...I should ad that, although the kickstarter is set to ship only to UK, we are able to despatch elsewhere in the world upon request.

Stately white orchid spikes emerging from vegetation, title of book is ORchids of Britain and Ireland - a photographic guide, by Mike Waller and Sean Cole with Rainar Kurbel

Burnt-tip Orchids, white flowers speckled with maroon markingd, the flower spikes topped by dark maroon

Fields of Green-winged Orchids at sunset

Various paler examples of Green-winged Orchids, showing the beauty and variety of this species

Hi orchid lovers!
Our new book is due to be published in spring 2026!
It will be a large-format, A4 photographic guide to all British & Irish orchids, to complement our field guide, Britain's Orchids.
Please support us if you'd like a copy!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/orc...

👏🏼

There are no records for Scotland but suitable habitat like this, and the climate is much better for it than in southern England. Just needs someone to look. Especially is you get a wet winter, spring, then again in July.

Magpie Inkcap, Clustered Bellflower & White Helleborine during a works day out in the Chilterns yesterday. #Botany #UKOrchids #wildflowers #orchids #fungi #Chilterns #Autumn #fungifriday
@ukorchids.bsky.social @europeanorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

You should look for Ghost Orchids there in August 🙏🏼👍🏼

White-flowered Orchid growing in grass.

Autumn lady's tresses still in flower in the New Forest 😳🤩

They've never really flourished at this site, despite annual management. I wonder why?

Pyramidal Orchid up on the front lawn, partially covered by the Ivy Bee excavations.
Sawston, Cambs.
@ukorchids.bsky.social

The Bee Orchids are up on the front lawn/meadow. The Ivy Bee colony is also appreciating the short-cropped grass. No sign of the Pyramidal Orchids yet.
Sawston, Cambs.
@ukorchids.bsky.social

Bee and Lizard orchid rosettes in our local (Cambs.) country park, getting ready for Winter. I hope there's a little more rain for them next year... 🤞🏻
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
@ukorchids.bsky.social

Pics?? 😍

Fresh Autumn lady's-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) appearing at Dawlish Warren following the recent rain 😃 @ukorchids.bsky.social

Broad-leaved Helliborine (Epipactis helleborine), in seed. Buchan Country Park, West Sussex

Broad-leaved Helliborine (Epipactis helleborine), in seed. Buchan Country Park, West Sussex

Broad-leaved Helliborine (Epipactis helleborine), in seed. Buchan Country Park, West Sussex

Today’s highlight? when #Volunteers found a previously unrecorded location for Broad-leaved helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) on site #orchids #wildflowers #BuchanCountryPark #WestSussex How these plants have gone unnoticed to date is beyond me? @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Magnificent 🥰😍👏🏼

A misty and magical sunrise in the New Forest 25.08.25. Perfect to see the main flush of Autumn Lady's-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis). Literally tens of thousands of spikes pushing through the parched turf. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #orchid

Sorry was slow to reply 👍🏼

This is not something to boast about, however long ago it was.

The crystalline white and green flowers of autumn lady's tresses, spiralling up their green hairy stem

The crystalline white and green flowers of autumn lady's tresses, spiralling up their green hairy stem

The crystalline white and green flowers of autumn lady's tresses, spiralling up their green hairy stem

Well, the orchid shop will shortly be closing for the winter, with the Autumn lady's tresses in bloom.
It's been a busy season, collecting new photos for a book we will be publishing next spring. More news to follow soon!

We just published a new issue of #BritishandIrishBotany, our Open Access online journal.
7 papers for you to enjoy inc Lady's-slipper orchid reintroductions; variation in Restharrows; a new Comfrey hybrid for UK; montane plants; sea-grapes new to Europe!
bsbipublicity.blogspot.com/2025/08/brit...

A foray to the New Forest to just catch Bog orchid, past their best, Spiranthes (in short supply in our area) & not numerous here plus some splendid Marsh Gentians @ukorchids.bsky.social (never seen it so dry)

And finally.........last #Orchids of the year(for me at least ) ! Autumn Ladies Tresses ,around twenty spikes in two areas about a mile apart, at #Dungeness ,amazed that they made it through the bone hard ground @ukorchids.bsky.social