Or should that be a Platanthera of orchids? (Sorry, couldn't resist a botanical joke as Greater Butterfly-orchids are
Platanthera chlorantha.) The area around Newtonmore Golf Course is full of orchids which are flowering just now. Not just the usual "orchid field," Eilean na Cluanaich, but each area of rough by the fairways also has a good selection.
I counted over 60 Small-white Orchids (
Pseudorchis albida) at one spot where I had only seen single figures before.
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| Small-white orchid and Red Clover |
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| Fragrant-orchid and Small-white Orchid |
The most plentiful orchid was the Greater Butterfly Orchid.
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Greater Butterfly-orchid
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A small portion of the orchid field with Greater Butterfly-orchids in abundance
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There are also some Northern Marsh-orchids (Dactylorhiza purpurella).
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Northern Marsh-orchid
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Walking a field next to the Golf Course, I found some Heath Spotted-orchids (Dactylorhiza maculata).
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| Heath Spotted-orchid |
We are very lucky to have the Golf Course, even if you don't play golf, as the management of the ground has resulted in such a rich variety of flowers. This short video shows the difference between the Golf Course side where sheep graze only in the winter and the field on the other side of the fence, where sheep graze all year round,
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