Orchids can also grow in cultivated areas,
lawns, flower-beds. The plants in our garden appear to have come about naturally (but they have increased with a little human help and tolerance). A first small group of 3 plants was already growing almost twenty years ago when we got here. Very slowly, they have spread by seed, and now there are several plants in various places. Similar plants occur in some nearby gardens, usually those where people neglect their lawns a little.
The most important help which I provide is to to avoid mowing and digging around these plants; and we use practically no pesticides. I have spread seed all over the garden (but the wind no doubt does a good job too with the very light seeds). I stay on the look-out for new young plants before the first lawn-cut in spring, which I leave as late as possible in order to be able to see them and forever avoid them.
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Broad-leaved Helleborine The tubers are about 15-20 cm below the ground. These plants seem to grow in places where there are old deep cracks or cuts in the soil, for example at the edges of paths or where wall foundations had previously been dug (or next to tree-roots). Presumably this enables the seeds and the roots to reach the correct depth for success in our terrain, which is rather clayey. |
orchid & nature photos © 2005 Jan Wikramaratna <contact@wikramaratna.org >