A month or so into the second 'flowery hiccup' on my front lawn, I have been buoyed by an astonishing discovery.
Common spotted orchid growing in my front lawn
Last year I began an experiment on my front lawn by leaving it uncut for about two months from the middle of May (see features
The flowery hiccup and
Garden meadows). I was surprised and delighted by the nice range of fine-leaved grasses and the meadow buttercups that flowered in that first year.
This year I am repeating my 'hiccup' and this week I was astonished to find a common spotted orchid (
Dactylorhiza fuschii) flowering in my 'meadow'! That has surpassed my wildest expectations. I do not know whether the plant has been there, unable to flower, for years; or if it is a relative newcomer encouraged by my new mowing regime. In any case, I'll be doing all I can to encourage it to thrive (which basically means doing very little!)
