I was amazed the other day on a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh to find in the plant shop a whole range of hardy orchids on sale. In amongst the usual varieties of non native cypripediums I was amazed to see that the British native Marsh Helleborine ( Epipactis palustris) was on sale! So of course after seeing them growing wildly on Lindisfarne the other week I had to buy some. Today I planted it in a large sunken pot in a damp area of the flower border in semi shade. I hope that they will grow and flower next summer and eventually bloom in the same way that they did on Lindisfarne!

Lindisfarne 25th July

On a visit to Lindisfarne last week with my Dad we went on a pleasant walk around the Snook at the north western tip of the island. We saw many different stunning orchids in the sand dunes as well as a magnificent Kestrel and this beautiful Dark Green Fritillary ( Argynnis aglaja).

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis).

I found a small troop of these just about to set seed beside the car park at the Snook. The first time I have ever seen these lovely orchids, I was glad to see them before the flowers faded completely.

 Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris)

It was impossible not to notice these delightful little flowers nodding gently in the damp dune slacks as the cool summer breeze swept past them. They were in their hundreds in the short grass in moist boggy slacks with thousands more leaf rosettes surrounding them. Another first for me, I was amazed by these stunningly beautiful orchids!

Common Twayblade (Neottia ovata)
I almost stood on this orchid as I started to head back for the car with Dad. The plant had light green flowers and stem that blended in really well with the surrounding grass. Once more another first for me, it was a nice wee surprised!

A really successful visit to Lindisfarne with my father with Common Spotted Orchid and Northern Marsh Orchid also seen as well as majestic Meadow Pipits and several Six Spot Burnett moths also spotted. But one warning to anyone else who wishes to visit Lindisfarne - watch out for the Piri Piri Burr!! 
As my Dad demonstrated...

Unusual Orchid?

This Orchid had only one light purple flower and  had several green unspotted leaves. It only grow 3-4 cm of the ground and I found it in a wet ditch beside a dirt track in the North West coast of Scotland near Poolewe with Lesser Butterfly Orchids, Heath Spotted Orchids and Northern Marsh Orchids around it. Could it be a small Northern Mash Orchid? Can someone identify it? 

Dawyck Botanic Gardens 19th July

On a trip to Dawyck Botanic Gardens the other day I came across a stunning glade of Common Spotted Orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) in the light birch woodland near the old church. these orchids a relatively common, as their name suggests, in the Peebles area. You can't see this in this photo but these orchids also have lightly spotted leaves and this one grow quite high (around 30-40 cm) in the tall grass of the woodland floor. 

Common Spotted Orchid var albiflora 

was growing in among the other Common Spotted Orchids at Dawyck. This one had no spots on its leaves and grow a little shorter than the other other orchids. 

Common Spotted Orchid (Densely Flowered Form?)

This orchid was growing on its own underneath huge pine trees in short grass. It had lightly spotted leaves and grew around 25cm high. The flower spike had incredibly dense purple flowers!
Can anyone tell me exactly what variation this orchid is is?

Hello, I'm Rory and this is my accounts of my wildlife experiences in the Peebles and the surrounding area. I am fascinated by nature and wildlife in general, in particular birds and orchids. I love the elegance and beauty of nature in all its amazing colours and the unpredictability of what you will see. I have been so rewarded by the variety of wildlife I have discovered on my doorstep. So here is the account of my sightings.