CHAPTER XI 



THE WILD ORCHID (Orchis maculata) 



I HAVE just been working amongst my orchids, 

 but have had to leave the work somewhat abruptly 

 owing to an unexpected thunder-shower. It so 

 happens that my orchids are not grown under glass ; 

 in fact, it is quite probable that my orchid garden 

 would astonish most of my readers if they saw it. 

 A friend to whom I introduced this garden, re- 

 marked that it was what he should call '^ a lane." 

 Now that is just what my orchid garden is — a real 

 good, old-fashioned, Warwickshire country lane. 

 On both sides of the rough and cart-rutted road- 

 way there is a broad spread of green grass before 

 the hedgerow is reached, and amongst that grass, 

 the whole long length of the lane, throughout the 

 year, you can always find a choice, wild flora. 



The low-lying and broadest of these grassy 

 expanses is generally a semi-submerged area, and 

 it is there that my spotted orchids gi*ow, for they 

 love moist quarters. There they throw up their 

 tall spikes of pale lilac blossoms all spotted with 

 deeper purple. In Fig. 80 (Plate 56) one of 

 these spikes of bloom is shown of natural size. 

 In the mass the little flowers make a show, but 

 individually, they are insignificant. Their in- 

 significance,, however, is only a matter of size ; 



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