Tag Archives: common spotted orchids

One of the loveliest spots in Adel Woods in the Summer is the orchid meadow which has a wonderful display of wild flowers – and in particular of common spotted orchids.

Four years ago, the meadow was in danger of disappearing under encroaching trees, bracken and himalayan balsam. However, after careful work by Friends of Adel Woods and Steve Joul and other volunteers, the meadow is looking fantastic.

In September 2018, Steve and a volunteer spent a day mowing the meadow with a mechanical mower and this made a fantastic difference. Today they spent the day mowing the meadow again.

Steve also found this fine specimen of an artichoke gall on a pedunculate oak.

To see more of the transformation of the meadow from 2016 to 2020, see this blog entry: Wednesday, 24th June 2020: the Orchid Meadow

A few years ago, our treasurer, Judith, was very excited to report that she had found a meadow in Adel Woods which was full of common spotted orchids. None of us knew about it – even though we had been working in the woods for about five years by that time!

Since then FOAW, Steve Joul and various corporate groups have done a lot of work on the meadow which was in danger of disappearing under trees, and himalayan balsam. This is what the meadow looked like in July 2016:

In September 2018, Steve and one of his volunteers mowed the meadow and I think you will agree that it looked somewhat different!

That work has paid off as I think that you will agree from the following pictures: