Marsh Helleborines

One of my favourite latter flowering Orchids is the beautiful Marsh Helleborine. One of the best sites to see this species is at Upton Fen near Acle.

I took a trip there this evening and counted exactly 20 spikes of this species in a suitably marshy and boggy area. Unlike the Frog Orchids from the previous evening when I had clearly been around a week or 2 too late, I had timed the visit perfectly and the plants were flowering and in pristine condition. These plants, the Marsh Helleborines can also be seen in coastal slack dune areas such as Horsey in Norfolk and I have also seen them on the coastal dunes at Kenfig near Port Talbot in South Wales. I managed to take several pictures.

A Roe Deer ran across the path and the marsh just a few feet away, clearly it hadn't seen me as I was crouching down to get the shots of the Helleborines, the Roe Deer then barked several times before crashing through the undergrowth. Several Spotted Orchids (including an all white variety) were still in flower although by now past their best and 2 Southern Marsh Orchids also seen.