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Monkey Orchid |
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The weather all week had been awful and it looked like Sunday 21st May was going to be a wash out - and it was!
So members of the Waterside Natural History Society gave in to the relentless wind and rain and decided to abandon the planned trip to Chappetts Copse.
However, the very next evening our spirits were lifted as we welcomed our guest speaker Carol Watson who took us on a magnificent wild flower adventure in the Causse and Cevenne regions of southern France.
Carol explained how these two areas differ greatly from each other, with the Causse being limestone and having gorges like smaller Grand Canyons. Whilst the Cevenne is greener with forests, meadows and valleys rather than rocky gorges. This providing home to a great variety of flowers with classic Mediterranean plants sitting beside ones you would normally expect to see in alpine settings.
It was a fascinating evening of beautiful flower photos taken by Carol and her husband on their travels and the second half of the presentation focussed mainly on the large variety of orchids found in the regions such as the lizard, monkey, man and lady orchids and a rare spider orchid that is specific to region.
The Society's next outdoor meeting will be on Sunday 18th June with a visit to Badbury Rings looking for birds, butterflies and flowers. Meet at Oak Road Car Park, Dibden Purlieu at 10.00am (strong footwear recommended.)
The next indoor meeting will be on Monday 26th June when we welcome Peter Allen to talk about local dragonflies. Meet at 7.30pm at the St. Andrew's Centre, Dibden Purlieu. Visitors very welcome at £2.00.
Please phone for further details on either 023 8089 7660 or 023 8084 5883. |
