Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
  • MENU

April 2007 – A Green Winged Orchid?

Small Orchid

It was such a lovely day today that I spent a few hours out in the cemetery taking photographs and checking maps against information recorded and vice versa. In a part of the Old Parish Cemetery, a small patch of bright colour caught my eye and, getting down on my hands and knees to investigate, I saw what looked like a tiny little orchid.

I have heard that there are orchids in the cemetery, but I don’t recall ever seeing one before. Anyway, I took a couple of photographs and made a note of the exact location of the flower. When I got home I looked up what I thought it might be on the internet and took advice from Sally-Ann (who knows more about plants than I do). Although the flower I found today is very small we think it could well be a Green Winged Orchid.

The Old Parish Cemetery area was strimmed only last week and this probably accounts for the stunted size of the flower, but it certainly made my visit to the cemetery today very special.

Janette Gregson