Native orchids

This wild flower meadow had a huge variety of plants including these wonderful orchids

A paler form

So much variety

I think this is a bee orchid

I am waiting for the arrival of Rattlesnake Plantain and Lady's Slipper. Last month I did not know we had 'ingenious' orchids in Ohio.

It is lovely to see these growing "wild". Hope you will post pictures of yours when they bloom.

Beautiful images Galanthophile.

It's definitely Dactylorhiza time! They are flowering here too. The last of your images probably is O. apifera, here's a list of Ophrys in GB, if you pop in the postcode of the place the species in the area should come up http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/fff/glob.pl?report=gnfllist&genus=Ophrys

I spotted a Bee orchid here about 3 weeks ago. I took some photos and will probably post them later.

Thanks Baa! I have a couple of dactylorhiza's in my garden although I did move one large plant last year and I am so disappointed that it didn't reappear. My other fuschii has seeded around quite merrily!

They seed around for you? I could go green with envy here LOL, we had a D. majalis for a few years in the dread front garden but it didn't multiply and sadly died so we obviously don't have the right soil and fungus for them. My others are in pots and I'm pretty sure the D. elata has had it since the slugs have chopped off the growing tip for two years in a row! Then again who knows they disappear for a couple of years and pop back up again!

The Calanthe had the same thing happen, slug wise and this year managed to make a reappearance much to my relief! LOL

Interesting what you say about the fungus - that could account for why my D follosa didn't make it after being moved. I'd love to think it might reappear!

Your beautiful photos make me realize it is time for me to make a trip to the mountain meadows. I live in a desert, I find it beautiful but also love the flowers that like the cooler altitudes

Very pretty photos.

Well if you do venture out take some photos!

will do!