Dodging heavy showers and extreme windy conditions this morning ,managed an hour at an Early Purple Orc; site near Tenterden . Now close to peak (at this site )
3 'Pinks' and 3 'Alba ' individuals (and everything in-between ) .....A fine display amongst the Bluebells. Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

To mark the day I saw a early purple orchid one flower partially open so I'm claiming it, boxer woods Croydon Wild Orchids UK & Ireland #NationalOrchidDay Surrey Botanical Society Explore Surrey's Countryside Your Croydon

Nice symmetry on this lovely Surrey Early Purple Orchid Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

Went to check on the “Early Pink” in a local wood and it was an even paler Orchis mascula. Wild Orchids UK & Ireland BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

Like jewels, like spun sugar or stained glass, shine those ‘wings’ under a hand lens. Anacamptis morio, Green-Winged Orchid, Kent. #wildflowerhour #orchids

My UK orchid season finally begins!
Green-Winged / Veined orchids coming into bloom near St. Ives, Cambs. I'm still searching for Early Spider orchids in the area... 🙂
BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Wild Orchids UK & Ireland wildflowerhour
#WildFlowerHour

Well, I wasn’t expecting to see this in flower this weekend. Everyone’s favourite Dorset hybrid. #orchid #woodcock #hybrid Britain's Orchids Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

A happy hybrid 😃 Dorset, 13/4/24 Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

What a difference a warm week makes!

Today on the downs near Crundale I found a few Lady Orchids in bud ,a couple had two or three open florets ...........Won,t be long !
Also found a fair few Common Twayblades almost in flower . Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

First orchids of the year, couple of Orange Tips in Monks Wood and a Holly Blue in the garden. BC Cambs and Essex Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

Stop the car and run along a main road to take photos of Early Purple Orchids. Everyone does that right? Britain's Orchids Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

The Green-winged orchids just starting to flower near Snowshill this morning. Wild Orchids UK & Ireland #wildflowerhour

Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) in Dorset, 12.04.24. This freshly opened flower had a gorgeous reddish tingle to the lip and petals.

Tegeirian coch 13/05 y llynedd (chwith)/12/04 eleni (de) - yn yr un lle ar Ynys Môn, ond mis llawn yn gynharach 😳
The same spot on Anglesey and the same species (early purple orchid) last year, 13/05 (left)/this year, 12/04 (right) a full month earlier 😳
#Orchis mascula

Definitely a theme this year, an incredibly early season.

Early Purple Orchids, primroses, bluebells, dandelion and Lady's Smock in flower on a damp grassy area next to the roadside. Dartmoor National Park. 12.04.2024.
Britain's Orchids
Wild Orchids UK & Ireland

Went to Cloudwood Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust to look for early purple orchids today. Wasn't disappointed! Not many out but enough to satisfy the craving.

Herts Orchids 🥀 Wild Orchids UK & Ireland Britain's Orchids BNA – Herts branch Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust HNHS & Herts Bird Club BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland European Orchids & Wildflowers wildflowerhour Hardy Orchid Society 🀣 My how it's grown!

April 12th, 2024. Oxfordshir.
Cephalanthera damasonium, White Helleborines, starting to flower. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but still wasn't expecting to find them just yet.
BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Chilterns National Landscape Hardy Orchid Society 🀣 Wild Orchids UK & Ireland.
Hamza Nobes