Plantwatch: Bumper crop of orchids | Science | The Guardian

The pinkish blooms of a rare bee orchid (Ophrys apifera). Photograph: Jamie Harron/Papilio/CORBIS

At long last the sun is shining, but despite the weeks of relentless wind, rain and gloomy skies, some of our native wildflowers actually managed to thrive. One of the biggest surprises was a bumper year for wild orchids, with some of our most exotic-looking native flowers, such as bee orchids, twayblades, pyramidal, fragrant and spotted orchids all putting on glorious displays. The weather was also kind to some of Britain's rarest orchids, including the monkey and lady orchids and their hybrids growing at the Aston Clinton Ragpits in the Chilterns in Buckinghamshire.