Discovering wild orchids in the hedgerows

Whilst the Algarvian hills in springtime are stunning, at this time of year you don’t need to go far inland to discover the Algarve’s floral delights. You do though, as my Mum discovered on Monday in the Vale of Bengado, need to keep your eyes peeled if you really want to appreciate orchidaceae. It isn’t that they are rare in the Algarve, there are after all around 30 orchid species here. However they have a tendency to be overlooked if you walk quickly or are caught up with the natural beauty which surrounds them. Algarvian hedgerows

Once spotted though you will almost certainly be overtaken with the Victorian disease of orchidelirum, especially if you come across a patch of bee orchids.

The serapias are far more subtle, and I suspect many not even realise these are orchids. Most of them were not quite out on Monday, nor were they yesterday in the Ria Formosa park. However I did manage to find this one.

Tongue Orchid
Serapis lingua, I think

All of these photographs were taken on a short stroll of less than a mile, and as I said at the start it wasn’t just the orchids that were capturing our attention.

We had come on the walk though for the orchids, so I’ll finish with a few more. The first two are probably hybrids, the next two I am feeling confident enough to say are the Bumblebee Orchid and the final one which we saw the most of is a Mirror Orchid. Which means, if I include the hybrids, we discovered at least six species on this short stroll. So combined with my six word title makes it perfect for Debbie’s first hosting of Six Word Saturday. Do come join us, everyone welcome!

Author: BeckyB

It had been a good life walking, cooking, photographing, volunteering, blogging, and best of all spending time with MrB, family, & friends. Sadly it is no longer what it was, as suddenly and unexpectedly I became a widow.

26 thoughts

  1. Super photos Becky and what delightful finds. I love finding orchids, but we don’t get as many here as you do in the Algarve.

    1. Thank you so much. Almost too easy here once ypu know where to go! Quite a few though I’ve yet to see so looking forward to that challenge next year!

  2. Gorgeous flowers, as you say subtle enough to need you to ‘get your eye in’ to spot at first, after which they seem to be everywhere you look. I perfectly understand why orchid spotting can become compulsive and that’s a great word for the effect their discovery has on you! You got some lovely images too.

    1. Thank you so much, and you are so right about ‘getting your eye in’, once Mum and I had we saw them everywhere, and on our return journey noticed ones we had missed on the way up. Stunning flowers

    1. So glad you like Sherry and yes I think naming important, keeps me out mischief anyway on return to apartment!!

    1. They are hard to miss at moment. My Mum just can’t get over the breadth and number of wild flowers here. 😊

  9. What a wonderful stroll Becky. That made a great start to my weekend (shame it didn’t add any steps to my step counter though) and I learned a new word – orchidelirium. That has really made my day.

    1. Oh I’m so glad you like Debbie…… and it didn’t add any steps to my counter either as I forgot to take the counter!!!
      Great word isn’t it 😊 hope the rest of your weekend goes well x

      1. Have to love the Victorians for what they invented……apparently it was a serious condition for many in the days of plant hunting!

  10. Wonderful! Really fabulous captures, Becky. 🙂 🙂
    I’m still wondering where to start with my Monday walks! Safe journey home for your Mum. It was such a pleasure to meet her. I have one last day of roaming then it’s leave everything shipshape and gone 🙂

    1. Oh I’m so glad you like, the sky was almost too blue and the sun too sunny to take shots!!!

      Enjoy your last day, do hope you are able to squeeze in a little adventure before you go. Safe journey home, and can’t wait to see whatever version of your Monday walk you decide upon 😉

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