Common Spotted Orchid - first signs

Here they come!

The Common Spotted Orchids are on their way up again - this is always such an exciting time, when tiny new sprouts appear, isn't it? 

I'm lucky enough to have a friend who, a few years ago, let me collect seed from the orchids in their grounds, and ever since then I have been growing them on for sale, and it's turning into quite a nice, if rather small, little business. 

I have a very select customer list (that is sales jargon for "small") of wildflower meadow enthusiasts who come to me each year to buy more, slowly building up their meadows, which is the best way to do it.

It takes 2-3 years for them to get to flowering size, so there's quite a pay-delay in growing these little fellas, but I think it's worth it.

I love the idea that now, in a very small way, I am helping to restore wildflower meadows, by selling responsibly-sourced-seed-grown plants - I'm sure you all know that pinching wildflowers from the wild is a definite no-no, in fact it's against the law, so it's good to be able to encourage people to do it properly, and to make a little money along the way! 

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