The Orchid Season is well under way.

If you haven't noticed (why not?) the orchid season is well under way and over the course of the last month I have been out and about checking out some familiar places. For me, the habitats are just as important as the orchids I see or discover, after all they go hand in hand. Apart from my orchid exploits I also relish opportunities to take photographs of the landscape. I love being outside amongst the heath, on the limestone pavement, in meadows, woodlands and marshy habitats. Hills don't matter to me, i'm a great walker - i've trudged many bogs and mountain peaks in Scotland and in England (many of them several times), the only problem is whether folk can keep up with me! 

Kendal, South Lakes 09/05/2026

My sole reason to visit this area was to photograph Wild Garlic in Serpentine Woods, a delightful ancient woodland and former 'folly' garden, at the back of Kendal. 

As you can see from the photograph above, it was a delightful late spring afternoon. I have never seen orchids growing in this stunning wood, however they do grow nearby. To see them you need to follow the many footpaths through the wood from any of its lower access points to the top, north side where you will find a delightful open pasture affording delightful views across Kendal.  Large swathes and sprinklings of Primula veris (Cowslip) often adorn the shorter pasture here, and, in-between, on the north facing slopes to the hillside you will find large sprinklings of Orchis mascula - the Early Purple Orchid. In previous years I had seen the white form of this Orchid, but I could not find it this year. After various investigative forays around, it was a surprise to find a single white specimen in a totally new spot. At first glance, being so white, tall and prominent I thought it was a rather early Butterfly Orchid. This white form of Early Purple was probably the most stunning example I had ever seen.

The Early Purple grows prolifically in around Kendal, and South Lakes in general; you often first notice it alongside roadside verges. It's the first one of the season up here in the north of England and always a charm. It typically has purple blotches to its leaves, though not always, and stiff erect candle like stems that tinge to a rich reddish/purple, each adorned with various shades of purple flowers, though sometimes rose-pink, making them highly conspicuous. The base of the lip (towards the centre) of each flower is often blushed white or with subtle yellow tones and usually with a trace of purple spotting radiating centrally down the labellum. The scarce, white variant, shown here, has often no markings to its leaves, and as you can see, its flower stem, circa 40cm in height, has no reddish flushing but becomes paler in colouration. The flowers are brilliant white with each base being lightly flushed green/yellow and no spotting.

It's a relatively easy orchid to photograph, especially for the novice! My advice is to not photograph it in full sun.

        ISO 200, 1/80s, f/9.                                                ISO 100, 1/20s, f/13.