Oh, joy! It is well into Spring here in the Dordogne - in fact we have just left May but the wild orchids are still flourishing. Or so I am told because I (poor me) suffer from 'hay fever' which should perhaps be more correctly described as 'pollen fever'. Not only am I alergic to the grass pollen but also to that of the pines of which we have a great number....I had better stop here or I shall be accused of boasting...
Wild orchids seem to be great individualists...they come up where they like which is not necessarily the best place for people or other co-users of the property. It complicates Stephanie's gardening life because she will not mow in order to save the orchids but is very disapproving of uncontrolled grass. We shall skip over the feelings of 'Kevin' who is supposed to take the hay off my fields but has been told to delay - like last year. However, he should console himself with the possible fact that the grass might possibly be very nearly hay dry by the time he gets to cut it.
And here you have three of the best: from the top..'orchis jaune', followed by 'orchis hybride = because combines two types of orchid, the insect and the spider, lastly is the 'orchis troll'....
which should please all Nordic readers as well as readers of Nordic myths.
Curiously enough this year the 'orchis bouc' - the one that smells of billy goat - has not come back to protect my front gate from unwanted intruders - in fact it does not seem to be appearing anywhere.
