Orchids on Lower Earley Way 2021

Just for interest – we counted the Pyramidal Orchids on Lower Earley Way near Pearman’s Copse again this year. The count was done later than usual on July 15th, so probably quite a few had finished flowering and so were not seen, making the number lower than last year.

A total of 333 flowering spikes were counted all in the wooded area above the road verge. The verge itself wasn’t checked as there had appeared to be few visible earlier.

Since I started keeping a record of numbers in 2011, they have been gradually making their way up from the road verge into the scrub/woodland behind (can’t say I blame them!) where most of them are now to be found. Maybe because the conditions are more hospitable, the verge is south facing and gets very hot and dry. This year for the first time, two were growing on the Copse side of the path.

Anne Booth