Commonly Spotted Orchids

We are fortunate in the UK in that the commonest orchids are also amongst the most beautiful. I spent a morning photographing some on the local roadside verges; not something I'd have done for Common Twayblade. 

First up was Bee Orchid, which occurs in a number of places near me but these were on a verge near the local cemetery. There is something deeply satisfying and joyous about seeing an area of slightly bare grassland, wondering if that will be the bee-orchid site, and on walking over finding these jewels of nature seemingly hanging in mid-air. 

Orchid-ophiles get very excited about variations in flower colour. In Jon Dunn's excellent Orchid Summer he describes driving all over the place looking at these variations and ending up at Radipole to see an all brown one. We were in Weymouth a lot that summer I thought to myself 'why didn't I go and see it?" and then I realised that I had seen it, there being some noise about it at that time, and thought 'oh ... interesting.'

Anyway here's one with a slightly different flower marking.

Then onto the local bypass. The verges of this recently-created road pass through a cutting, and the sides are festooned with orchids in late clusters. Parking at a suitable spot I managed to get some photos of Common Spotted including a white one.

Then on the corner a collection of 50+ spikes of what I can only assume are Southern Marsh Orchid. This is a most unlikely spot for them, not being a marsh or in anyway wet, and I assume they were brought in with whatever soil was used to build up this bank. 

That just leaves Pyramidal which are common but not out yet. I will return.