Not having a DSLR camera back in 2009 when I first saw Green-winged Orchids at Durlston CP down in Dorset, I decided to head over to Muston Meadows NNR in Leicestershire this spring in an attempt to get some better photos of this charming species of orchid.
Often described as one of the finest lowland meadows in England with thousands of Green-winged Orchids growing amongst a plethora of other botanical delights, after a quick stop off at the nearby tearooms for a bacon sandwich we arrived at Muston just before lunch, eventually finding the entrance to the reserve tucked away in the hedges (after getting slightly lost in several of the nearby crop fields!)
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| Bacon toastie - prime orchid hunting fuel! |
With the black rain clouds on the horizon ominously threatening rain, we set to work exploring this hidden gem of a nature reserve in an effort to find the best flowering specimens for photography and to admire the many different colour variations of Green-winged Orchid that can be found on site here.
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| Pollination in action! |
Thankfully the rain held off and we were able to appreciate the myriad of colour forms that occur, from the pretty pale rose pink varieties and the dainty almost pure white plants, to the more regular deep wine purple flowers that are the norm.
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| An especially pale plant |
Rather sadly, Muston Meadows has seen a reduction in size somewhat dramatically over recent years, with almost 30 hectares de-declared from being an NNR and losing protection, leaving just a few fields secure. Thankfully it is here that the Green-winged Orchids thrive, and Muston Meadows is still one of the best sites on the northern edge of its range in which to see these dainty orchids, boasting an impressive colony of over 10,000 plants.
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| The meadow was full of thousands of orchids |
Even sadder still, with the destruction and drainage of many unimproved grassland pastures that Green-winged Orchids previously called home, the population in Britain has crashed, declining by almost 50% from the numbers seen only 50 years ago. As a result, Green-winged Orchids are now listed as Near Threatened in England, so it was fantastic to see them occurring in such good numbers at Muston - hopefully they will continue to thrive here for the foreseeable future.
Getting to Muston Meadows
Muston Meadows NNR can be found just west of Grantham in north east Leicestershire. We parked on the corner of Woolsthorpe Lane (NG13 0FE) at the southern end of the village of Muston, then walked down the small lane heading west. The style entrance to the reserve could be found towards the end of the lane on the left hand side nestled within the hedge.
Flowering is usually in late April through to May (earlier in the southern counties), and we visited Muston during the second week of May when the orchids were in their prime.
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| Map of Muston Meadows NNR |
Often described as one of the finest lowland meadows in England with thousands of Green-winged Orchids growing amongst a plethora of other botanical delights, after a quick stop off at the nearby tearooms for a bacon sandwich we arrived at Muston just before lunch, eventually finding the entrance to the reserve tucked away in the hedges (after getting slightly lost in several of the nearby crop fields!)
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