1996 Kent 15th to 16th June Main Meeting
It was with some trepidation that we joined 23 other members lucky enough to get a place on this trip, led by Stephen Parker, for it was to be our very first field trip with the WFS. We met at the Devil's Kneading Bowl Car Park opposite the Wye Down Reserve. The weather was perfect, as it was all weekend, adding even more to the enjoyment of the beautiful Kentish landscape and its exciting flora.
We started with a brief look at the Wye Down Reserve and its typical chalk grassland flora - Salad Burnet Sanguisorba minor, Fairy Flax Linum catharticum, Hound's Tongue Cynoglossum officinale, Musk Thistle Carduus nutans, Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa, Crosswort Cruciata laevipes and Wild Thyme Thymus polytrichus, just to name a few - and our first orchid of the day, Fragrant Orchid Gymnadenia conopsea. Grasses and sedges were not forgotten and Stephen showed us Crested Dogstail Cynosurus cristatus, and Spring and Glaucous Sedges Carex caryophyllea and C. flacca. We also identified Purging Buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus, Leaving Wye Down we embarked on a 'Floral Motor Rally' taking in three other sites, driving down rambling narrow lanes to find them (if some of us got lost en route we all seemed to finish up in the right places in the end).
First stop was Spong Wood. This was breathtaking to explore - the bright sunshine filtering through the leaves to highlight drifts of Greater Butterfly Orchid Platanthera chlorantha growing with enormous Twayblades Listera ovata. We found Herb Paris Paris quadrifolia, albeit just finished flowering, at two locations in the wood, also Spindle Euonymus europaeus in flower.
Then on to Parkgate Down, well known as the site for Monkey Orchids Orchis simia. We were lucky to find them in such perfect condition (they were a little late this year) and in such numbers, though it is a pity that, in order to protect this rare colony, each orchid has to be enclosed in a wire netting 'birdcage'. We also saw a Green Winged Orchid Orchis morio in seed, Fly Orchid Ophrys insectifera, Twayblade Listera ovata. White Helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium, and Lady Orchid Orchis purpurea, We searched for Musk Orchid Herminium monorchis, which should have been there, but to no avail (probably it is very late this year). Other highlights of the visit were Aquilegia Aquilegia vulgaris, Adder's Tongue Fern Ophioglossum vulgatum and, perhaps most exciting, Slender Bedstraw Galium pumilum.
Our final stop of the day was at Lydden Down near Dover where we admired Burnt Orchid Orchis ustulata and Early Spider Orchid Ophrys sphegodes as well as Dyer's Greenweed Genista tinctoria in abundance. Unexpectedly we nearly had all evening, and night, to admire these, for when we returned to our cars we found we had been locked in the car park (anyone intending to visit this site should be warned). However, all ended well when we were released by the local archery club. Stephen very kindly offered to take those interested to Yocklett's Bank to see the Lady Orchids and several members availed themselves of his offer.
Sunday morning saw us reassembled on the quayside at Sandwich, where we made our way over the golf course to the shore where we came upon a clump of Hoary Mustard Hirschfeldia incana. Nearby, however, a big clump of Japanese Rose Rosa rugosa was looking rather sickly. All around us Sea Holly Eryngium maritimum was emerging and we were pleased to find Broomrape Orobanche minor var. maritima. The main excitement of the day for most of us, however, was to see the Lizard Orchids Himantoglossum hircinum in profusion and at the peak of condition. They were so magnificent that it was easy to forget to admire the carpet of Sand Catchfly Silene conica, and the Scented Evening Primrose Oenothera stricta.
After this we progressed past Silvery Ragwort Senecio cineraria, a bank of Irish Ivy Hedera helix ssp. hibernica and a fine Japanese Spindle Tree Euonymus japonicusand finished up grovelling around on the roadside comparing and identifying Toothed Medick Medicago polymorpha and Bur Medick M. minima, Suffocated Clover Trifolium suffocatum and Hare's-foot Clover T. arvense, and Small Melilot Melilotus indica. A quick hop over a rickety stile and we found ourselves in a field surrounded by great drifts of Early Marsh Orchids Dactylorhiza praetermissa (??).
Returning to the shoreline we passed Asparagus Asparagus officinalis and were able to admire, and smell, the Clove Scented Broomrape Orobanche caryophyllacea. On the shore was Yellow Horned Poppy Glaucium flavum. Sea Kale Crambe maritimaand Sea Sandwort Honckenya peploides as well as Silvery Hair Grass Aira caryophyllea. Sand Sedge Carex arenaria and Sea Couch Elytrigia atherica, We hunted in vain for Dragon's-teeth Tetragonolobus maritimus, previously found here.
The day ended in a damp dune slack where we admired the Leopard Spotted Orchid, a variant of Dactylorhiza praetermissa, and saw the emerging leaves of numerous Marsh Helleborines Epipactis palustris. The weekend was aptly described by one member who, at the end of the day, was overheard in the car park saying "What a fantastic weekend, lovely weather, prolific flowers, and above all such friendly company".
Thanks to Stephen from us all.
LORNA AND DEREK HOLLAND