A Botanical Journey mostly from Kent & SE England

 The North Downs around Luddesdown is in an area of outstanding natural beauty with steep rolling downs and patchworks of fields and copses. It was here I chose to explore and expand upon the botanical records for the area whilst I was there. Chickory is unmissable as it is a big plant with big blue, showy flowers. It's becoming quite rare in England and is on the Kent RPR (rare plant register) so as to monitor populations. There is some debate over whether it is an archeotype or native, though I think in Kent it probably is native. I am sure if this species were simply from cultivation it would have died out many years ago. Cichorium intybus Borage was found growing as an arable "weed" amongst farmed fruit bushes. Most likely sown as ground cover, but this species does tend to pop up along roadsides and field edges occasionally. Borago officinalis     A quiet country lane meanders through this area and its verges are home to many wildflowers including these beautiful Net

 It's Christmas Day as I publish this blog. It's been a horrible year with Covid-19 restricting movement and later infecting us and making us ill. However, enough of that. Here's a selection of some of the UK wild orchids I found in this and previous years to hopefully bring you some Christmas cheer and to look forward to a Happy New Year to come. I hope you like them. In alphabetical (latin name) order:   Anacamptis morio Green-winged orchid           Anacamptis pyramidalis Pyramidal Orchid       Dactylorhiza fuchsii Common spotted orchid                     Dactylorhiza praetermissa Southern marsh orchid           Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp coccinea Early marsh orchid Cephalanthera damasonium White Helleborine   Epipactis helleborine Broad-leaved helleborine     Epipactis palustris Marsh helleborine Gymnadenia conopsea Chalk fragrant orchid Herminium monorchris Musk orchid Himantoglossum hircinum Lizard orchid Liparis loeselii Fen orchid       Neotinea ustulata var aestiv

 This venue on the east coast of Kent is at its best in early Summer, with several very rare plant species to be found there, along with the largest Lizard Orchid colony in the UK. However, it was now mid July with Summer well and truly arrived with the earlier species mentioned all now died off, so it would be interesting to see what I might find. I hoped to find Yellow Bartsia, having failed to find it at several other Kent sites this year. Records showed it present here in the past.  As I set off, I noticed that the  Sea Holly was now in flower. It is common here and present all along the shingle where it starts to join with some topsoil. Eryngium maritimum Large stands of the yellow flowered Wild Fennel brightened up the upper beach and road areas. The first photo below shows its fine feathery leaves which seperates it from Wild Parsnip which has very similar (and same coloured) flowers. Of course, in case you forget you can crush a leaf of either plant and it will either smell of