Another day in Orchid Paradise (10th July 2017)

Monday 10th July 2017 - Hutton Roof 1300hrs to 1700hrs

The bird situation is like it always is at this time of year, very quiet with just the odd Willow Warbler making its "hou-whit" (contact) call. The odd Bullfinch with his sad call,  Still good calling from the local Green Woodpeckers which at times was in the next tree to where I was working, but nothing much else.

Butterflies today included: Grayling, Dark Green Fritillary, Ringlets, Meadow Browns.  Ah nearly forgot had lots of Small Torts in the last few days (but not today).

Other flowers: Included new records of spent Lily Of The Valley, Angular Solomons Seal, Hypericum Pulchrum 

I have still been giving the orchids some hammer because the atrorubens are quickly going over now and probably only 50% are still OK for another day or two.  Yesterday I also did a rough old survey of how many orchids there are on the area which I have been working. And guess what to say it's quite a small area (a very small part of the Hutton Roof complex) I had over 650 atrorubens (or should I say atroruben flowers, schmals, hybrids and varieties and approx 100 helleborines.  So you can see at 6 1/2:1 the reason why quite a lot of our plants are mixed up. 


Today I have managed to find some beauties. I want to start off with Escarp 12 which is a great plant and lies directly below the canopy of a Hazel bush which then deepen the magenta colour. 

Escarp 12 on 10th July 2017

Escarp 12 on 10th July 2017

I managed to get a photo today of Escarp 13 one of the new (this year) Lempet plants

Escarp 13 (Lempet) On 10th July 2017

The next find today was absolutely incredible, I was doing some work down at 69 and when I looked out of the corner of my eye, I just could not believe what was sitting there.  This little 8" special and without doubt for now I will go along with "LUTESCENS" variant but to be honest with you there is a lot more to it than that!!  (We now have 5 plants that have the white epichile and boss)

69a a mega rare "LUTESCENS" found today
(Click over to enlarge)

The following is a beautiful 17L today its under canopy and does have good magenta colouring. Like its nearbye orchid pals it is yet another with extra large "Helleborine" type leaves.

17L on 10th July 2017 (Click to enlarge)

And next we have a close up of the same plant.

17L close up

And here we have the fabulous 17d,17e,17f which are stunners especially with their light features including their special white epichile and bosses.

17d,17e,17f - a lovely trio (Click over to enlarge)

and here is a close up of 17d showing off its white epile and bosses

17d,17e,17f trio close up (Click over to enlarge)

The next hybrid is Specimen 69 which has always been a nice looker and reasonably camouflaged by a hazel bush growing alongside it.  All around this area are "helleborines" so you can see were the helleborine features are coming from.

Specimen 69 a hybrid (Click over to enlarge)

And here is a close up of the flowers of 69.

Specimen 69 taken on 10th July 2017

Here is Specimen 70 and 70a today it is yet another schmal and always a beauty how the lovely magenta colours contrast so well with the light green stem.  You see one or two others which are of similar colour and build, notably 11s and 8s which actually are about 100 yards to their East directly in the line of fire for prevailing winds. Just my wishful thinking!!

Schmal Specimen 70 and 70a (Click over to enlarge)

Specimen 70 (Click over to enlarge)

The following plant is a stunner and was classified as No.17 a couple of years ago.  It is of very light features and does not represent the majority of the 17s.  Although one thing for sure with the 17s they all seem to have "helleborine" leaves.

Specimen 17 (hybrid) taken 10th July 2017
(Click over photo to enlarge)

This was a very unusual find today and I have yet to study it to work it out.  I have had a situation before with a "Helleborine" but it must be at least five years ago were deer had snipped off the top section of a plant and a compensation growth came in its place, although the new grown never attained any colour it was forced and obviously lacked colour.  I am wondering if this is what has gone on here.  Will be interesting to see any development, but to be honest I think this is probably as far as this plant will go.

Interesting atrorubens with possible compensated head
(Click over to enlarge)

A nice plant which lies to the NW of 55 and could well be a hybrid, just to show you it is getting well pollinated.

Plant lies 2 metre NW of 55 (Click over to enlarge)

Here is a beauty, I only found it today, can't believe I missed this one, what a stunner it must have been, but no probs I have got you "clocked" ready for next year.

A very light plant found today for the first time

And here is a close up of the plant which must have been a stunner! better late than never!

A very light plant - a stunner on its days.